Obituaries

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Fr. John J. Doyle

Retired associate pastor

Father John J. Doyle, 79, died Feb. 6. He was the former associate pastor of Infant Jesus of Prague Parish in Flossmoor.

Born in Evergreen Park, Father Doyle attended Quigley Preparatory Seminary in Chicago, Niles College and the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary before being ordained in 1970.

He served as assistant pastor of St. Margaret Mary Parish and as associate pastor of Queen of Martyrs, Evergreen Park; St. Albert the Great, Burbank; St. George, Tinley Park; St. Alphonsus, Lemont and Infant Jesus of Prague Parish in Flossmoor. He retired in 2014.

Father James Kehoe, pastor emeritus at St. Joan of Arc in Skokie and a classmate of Father Doyle, had been friends with Father Doyle for more than 60 years.

“He was a wonderful priest, always caring and concerned about other people even when he had health issues,” Kehoe said.

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Fr. George Lane

Editor, publisher

Jesuit Father George Lane, 89, died Nov. 12, 2023, in Clarkston, Michigan.

Born in Evanston, he graduated from Loyola Academy and attended Loyola University Chicago for two years before entering the Chicago Province of the Society of Jesus in 1954. He was ordained a priest in 1967 and professed final vows in 1974.

Father Lane taught English at St. Ignatius College Prep (1961-1964). After ordination, he ministered at Loyola Press for almost 50 years. He held many positions, including: editorial director and associate director of the press (1969-1989); director, president and publisher (1989-2014).

He was also the superior of the Woodlawn Jesuit Community from 2003 to 2012.

In 2015, Father Lane moved to the Colombiere Center in Michigan.

In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Father Lane coordinated the efforts that saved and helped renovate Holy Family Church, one of the few buildings that survived the Great Chicago Fire of 1871.

Father Lane is survived by his brothers Michael, Joseph, Martin and Gregory, and his sister, Laura O’Brien.

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Sr. Mary Cecilia Maczko

Educator

Felician Sister Mary Cecilia (Alice) Maczko, 93, died Jan. 19 in Swedish/North Shore Hospital.

Born in Chicago, she attended St. James School and Good Counsel High School. She entered the Felician Sisters Postulancy in 1948 and professed her final vows in 1956. She ministered for over 50 years as a principal and teacher in elementary schools in Illinois, Wisconsin and Minnesota. She also was a music teacher at various schools and an organist at different parishes.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she ministered at Sts. Peter and Paul (1948-1951); Holy Rosary, North Chicago (1951-1953); St. Bronislava (1953-1956); St. Helen (1956-1958, 1968-1969); and Sacred Heart (1967-1968).

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Fr. Richard Boever

Pastor, writer

 

 

Redemptorist Father Richard Boever, 76, died Jan. 28 in Arizona after a struggle with cancer.

He may be best remembered for promoting devotion to and authoring books about two renowned Redemptorists who ministered in the United States, St. John Neumann and Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos.

Born in St. Louis, he recognized his vocation to the priesthood in elementary school. He was accepted into the Redemptorist novitiate in 1967 and professed temporary vows the following year. He professed perpetual vows in 1971 and was ordained a priest in 1973.

He ministered briefly at St. Michael Parish before being assigned to a parish in Missouri and then working as an editor at Liguori Publications.

He served in Missouri until 1992, when he became pastor of Blessed Sacrament Parish, a post he kept until 1996.

He then did retreat and mission ministry, chaplaincy, college teaching, pottery and weaving, and writing in Kansas, Wisconsin, Missouri and Louisiana, before retiring to a Redemptorist community in Arizona.

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Sr. Ann Willits

Preacher, community leader

Sinsinawa Dominican Sister Ann (Caitlin) Willits, 89, died Jan. 26 in Hazel Green, Wisconsin.

Born in Iowa, Sister Ann made her first religious profession in 1958 and her perpetual profession in 1961.

She taught in Minnesota and South Dakota, and served on the Leadership Council of the Sinsinawa Dominican Congregation from 1973 to 1982. Sister Ann led retreats and parish missions all over the United States and abroad.

She was codirector of the Parable Conference for Dominican Life and Mission for 21 years and an itinerant preacher for 20 years while she developed programs, retreats and parish missions to address the needs of the contemporary church and world.

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Sr. Marilyn Grabarczyk

Educator, chaplain

Resurrection Sister Marilyn (Agatha) Grabar-czyk, 84, died Jan. 16 at Ascension Resurrection Life Center.

Born in Chicago, she was baptized at St. Casimir Parish, where she also attended grade school and high school.

She entered the Sisters of the Resurrection in 1958.

Sister Marilyn taught grades four through eight at St. Thecla, St. Mary of the Angels and St. Casimir schools, and was principal of St. Mary of the Angels. She taught preschool at Resurrection Day Care and high school at Resurrection High School. She also taught in Nebraska and Indiana.

After taking part in a clinical chaplain training program and completing a residency, she served as a chaplain at Resurrection Medical Center. 

She is survived by her sisters Teresa, Bonita and Joanne.

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Sr. Mark O’Loughlin

Educator, social worker

Sinsinawa Dominican Sister Mark O’Loughlin, 96, died Feb. 4.

Born in Kankakee, Sister Mark made her first religious profession in 1954 and her perpetual profession in 1957. Her ministry has been dedicated to teaching, counseling and social work. In Illinois, Sister Mark taught at Trinity High School, River Forest; and Visitation High School, where she also served as counselor. She also served as counselor at Visitation Grade School; Sts. Faith, Hope and Charity, Winnetka; St. Viator, Arlington Heights; and Weber High School.

She also ministered in Wisconsin, Wyoming and the District of Columbia.

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