Obituaries

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Msgr. Robert F. Trisco

Educator

Msgr. Robert F. Trisco, 93, died July 29. He was a professor emeritus of church history at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C.

Born in Chicago, Msgr. Trisco attended Quigley Preparatory Seminary, the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary and the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, where he earned a licentiate of sacred theology degree in 1955 and a doctoral degree in ecclesiastical history in 1962.

He was ordained a priest in Rome in 1954.

After ordination, Trisco began his service at the  Catholic University of America in 1959. He was a professor of church history and served as the Kelly-Quinn Distinguished Professor of Church History from 1999 until 2000, when he was granted emeritus status.

 In recognition of his many contributions to the church and in academia, Trisco was named an honorary prelate with the title of monsignor in 1992 and a protonotary apostolic supernumerary in 2005. He was named a decorated knight of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem in 1993 and promoted to the rank of knight commander in 1998. He was awarded an honorary doctor of humane letters degree from Belmont Abbey College in 1992 and was given the Centennial Award by the American Catholic Historical Association in 2019.

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Deacon Gerald Fox

Class of 1993

Deacon Gerald A. Fox, 94, of La Grange Park, died Aug. 1. Deacon Fox was ordained in 1993 and served at St. Barbara, Brookfield, and Divine Providence, Westchester.

Deacon Fox was general manager of a Buick dealership before being ordained a deacon.

He is survived by his wife, Mary; his children Patricia Fitch, Kathryn Fox and Fred Fox; and one granddaughter.

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Deacon James Janicek

Class of 2005

Deacon James Janicek, 79, died Aug. 9. He was ordained in 2005 and served at St. Michael Parish in Orland Park.

Deacon Janicek started his career repairing typewriters for IBM before moving into management, said St. Michael pastor Father Frank Kurucz. As a deacon, he enjoyed preaching and celebrating baptisms, and he was involved in parish life ministries, making all the pierogis and sauerkraut when the parish hosted a Polish night.

“He thought everyone was family,” Kurucz said.

He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Sharon; his children, Jeffrey Janicek, Cheryl Doyle and Kimberly Janicek; and three grandchildren.

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Sr. Eileen Myers

Educator

Adrian Dominican Sister Eileen (Margaret Aloysius) Meyers, 92, died June 1 in Adrian, Michigan.

Born in Michigan, she was in the 75th year of her religious life.

She ministered in education in Michigan, Illinois, Florida and Ohio, worked in the motherhouse offices and volunteered in New Orleans for six months following Hurricane Katrina.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught kindergarten at Queen of Angels (1948-1950) and elementary school at St. Kilian (1953-1960).

She is survived by her sisters Loretta Fraley and Dorothy Burgess.

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Sr. Catherine Ahern

Educator, counselor

Adrian Dominican Sister Catherine (Jane Patrice) Ahern, 93, died June 2 in La Grange.

Born in Chicago, Sister Catherine graduated from Mercy High School before entering the Adrian Dominican community. She was in her 71st year of religious life.

She ministered in education and as a counselor in Illinois, Michigan and California.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at St. Joseph, Homewood (1955-19600, and Regina Dominican High School, Wilmette (1968-1973), and was a teacher and counselor at the Cook County Juvenile Detention Center (1974-2003).

She is survived by a brother, Eugene Ahern, and a sister, Jane Cantieri.

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Sr. Marie Geraldine Brownell

Educator

Adrian Dominican Sister Marie Geraldine (Barbara Jane) Brownell, 93, died June 25 in Adrian, Michigan.

Born in Detroit, she was in the 74th year of her religious life.

Sister Marie Geraldine ministered in education in Michigan, Florida and Illinois.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at St. Kilian (1950-1960).

She is survived by a brother, Phillip Brownell.

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Sr. Janet Persyk

Chaplain, educator

Adrian Dominican Sister Janet (Mary Paulette) Persyk, 93, died July 20 in Adrian, Michigan.

Born in Detroit, she was in the 75th year of her religious profession.

Sister Janet ministered in education and as a hospital chaplain in Michigan, Florida; and Illinois

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she was a chaplain at Resurrection Medica Center (1988-1992) and St. Elizabeth Hospital (1992-1997) and offered pastoral care to the elderly at Marillac House Social Center (1998-2000).

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Sr. Jeanne Marie Suerth

Educator, maintenance worker

Sister of Notre Dame de Namur Jeanne Marie (Jeanne Patricia) Suerth, 89, died July 24.

Born in Chicago, she entered the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur in Cincinnati in 1953. She taught in elementary schools and programs for adults in Ohio and Illinois, and she oversaw the maintenance services for some of her community´s largest institutions, including the Province Center and Infirmary in Reading, Ohio. 

In 1988, Jeanne Marie started a new ministry: “Jeanne on the Scene,” a home maintenance service for seniors that provided a variety of services.

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