Obituaries

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Sr. Therese Jacobs

Educator

BVM Sister Therese (Therese Carmelle) Jacobs, 87, died April 6 in Dubuque, Iowa.

Born in Des Moines, Iowa, she entered the BVM congregation in 1947 and professed final vows in 1955.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, Sister Therese taught music at St. Gertrude in Chicago and Carmel High School in Mundelein. She also ministered in Iowa, Hawaii, Minnesota, California and Mississippi, and in Ghana.

She is survived by a brother, Francis J. Jacobs.

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Sr. Helen Sorich

Educator, visitor to sick

Adrian Dominican Sister Helen (John Christine) Sorich, 95, died April 4 in Adrian, Michigan.

She was born in Yugoslavia and grew up in Michigan. She was in the 77th year of her religious life. Sister Helen served in Illinois and Michigan.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at Our Lady of Loretto, Hometown (1970-1973); Santa Maria Del Popolo, Mundelein (1973-1977); and St. Clare of Montefalco (1977-1981); was on staff at St. Mary Star of the Sea (1981-1985); did clinical pastoral education at St. Joseph Hospital (1985-1986); and ministered at St. Catherine of Alexandria Parish, Oak Lawn, visiting the sick and shut-ins (1986-1999). Sister Helen is

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Sr. Mary Annelle Fuczyla

Nurse practitionerMercy

Mercy Sister Mary Annelle Fuczyla died April 1.

Born in Wisconsin, Sister Mary Annelle entered the Mercy Hospital School of Nursing in Janesville after graduating from high school in 1945. She entered the Sisters of Mercy in Des Plaines in 1952.

She pursued more education in nursing and worked in emergency rooms, nursing service administration and in hospital-wide supervision where she often relieved staff during vacations and holidays. She ministered in Wisconsin and Iowa. For 11 years she was an instructor in Saint Xavier University’s School of Nursing.

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Sr. Sheila FitzSimons

Educator

Providence Sister Sheila (Rosemary) FitzSimons, 90, died April 1 in St. Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana.

She was born in Indiana and moved with her family to California. She entered the Sisters of Providence in 1943 and professed final vows in 1950.

She ministered in Indiana, Illinois, New Hampshire and California schools.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she served at St. Sylvester (1948-50) and St. Leo (1964-1967).

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Sr. Jane Bodine

Educator

Providence Sister Jane (Anna Jane, Janet) Bodine, 97, died March 30 in St. Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana.

Born in Indiana, she entered the Sisters of Providence in 1937 and professed final vows in 1945. She ministered in schools, adult education and development in Indiana and Illinois.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at St. Genevieve (1944-1945); St. Leo (1950-1953); Marywood High School, Evanston (1954-1955); and Mother Theodore Guerin High School, River Grove (1964-1965, 1997). Sister Jane is survived by a sister, Ruth Lamb.

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Sr. Rita Black

Educator

Sister Rita Black, 89, died March 30 in St. Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana.

Born in Indiana, she entered the Sisters of Providence in 1945 and professed final vows in 1953.

She ministered in education and health care in Indiana, Illinois, California and Alabama. In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at Our Lady of Mercy (1948-1951).

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Sr. Rita Lerner

Educator

Providence Sister Rita (Edward Clare) Lerner, 97, died March 25 in St. Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana.

Born in Chicago, she entered the Sisters of Providence in 1938 and professed final vows in 1946.

She ministered in elementary schools and in health care in Indiana; California; Washington, D.C.; and Illinois.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she served at Our Lady of Sorrows (1945-1946, 1952-1958); St. Mel-Holy Ghost (1958-1965); St. Leo (1965-1969) and St. Agnes (1969-1977).

Sr. Sylvia Smith

Educator, pastoral minister

School Sister of St. Francis Sylvia (Reginata) Smith, 90, died March 20 in Milwaukee.

Born in St. Paul, Minnesota, Sister Sylvia was received into the School Sisters of St. Francis in 1944 and made final vows in 1952.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at St. Benedict (Irving Park) (1948-1951); St. Martin (1958-1961); and St. Joseph, Wilmette (1961-1969). She also served St. Joseph Parish as religious education coordinator (1969-1983), pastoral minister (1983-1993) and sacristan (1993-2006). Sister Sylvia is survived by a sister, Jeannette Hunter.

Sr. M. Marinella Gubala

Educator

Franciscan Sister of Chicago M. Marinella (Josephine) Gubala, 101, died March 20.

Born in Ohio, she was taught in elementary school by the Franciscan Sisters of Chicago and joined the community in 1929, three months shy of her 14th birthday. She entered the novitiate the following year and professed perpetual vows in 1937.

Sister M. Marinella taught for more than 52 years, starting in 1932 at age 17. She taught at St. Florian School and St. Pancratius School, before starting at Madonna High School in 1953. She taught algebra, business math, religion and U.S. history for the first three years, and then taught English exclusively from 1956 until she retired from teaching in 1985.

At the age of 70, Sister M. Marinella went to Wisconsin for clinical pastoral education, then served in pastoral care at Mount Alverna Home in Parma, Ohio, for 17 years.

In 2002, after 70 years of service, Sister M. Marinella retired to Our Lady of Victory Convent, Lemont.

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Sr. Elaine Wojcik

Educator

BVM Sister Elaine (St. Lillian) Wojcik, 89, died March 15 in Dubuque, Iowa.

Born in Chicago, she entered the BVM congregation from St. Mark Parish and professed first vows in 1953 and final vows on July 16, 1958.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, Sister Elaine taught elementary and middle school at Annunciation; Our Lady of Angels; St. Vincent Ferrer, River Forest; and Mater Christi, North Riverside. She also was a substitute teacher and nursing home/hospice volunteer in Melrose Park, and taught and was a principal in Kansas City, Missouri.

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