Deacon Kenneth E. Jenney Jr., 70, died April 8 following a long illness. He was 70.

Deacon Jenney ministered at St. Monica and Immaculate Heart of Mary parishes.

In 2009, he received the St. Philip Award for outstanding ministry in evangelization.

He was an Active 4th Degree member of the Knights of Columbus.

He is survived by his children Jean Balatsos; Susan Thomas; and Douglas, Kenneth and Timothy; six grandchildren, and his brothers, Stephen, Howard and Ralph Jenney.

Deacon John James Leonas, 91, died April 7 in Bloomingdale, Illinois, following a long illness.

Deacon Leonas grew up in Chicago and served in the U.S. Army Medical Corps in World War II.

He spent most of his life in East Hazel Crest and Manteno, Illinois. He was ordained a deacon in 1979 and served at St. Anne, Hazel Crest, and St. Joseph Parish, Manteno. He was active in the Knights of Columbus, chaplain of the East Hazel Crest American Legion and a lifetime member of the V.F.W.

He retired from Northrup Grumman as a contract administrator heavily involved in the stealth bomber program. As a sergeant in the Army, John learned to play the drums and with his brothers-in-law formed the band Joe Fazio and his Men of Notes playing throughout the South suburbs of Chicago.

In addition, John was an Arthur Murray Dance instructor and at many events he and his wife, Mary, glided across many a dance floor.

He is survived by Mary, his wife of 68 years, daughters Carol Nicolai, Linda Amrein, Kathy Brandau and Debra Dean and son Jeffry Leonas, as well as nine grandchildren and four great grandchildren.

Sinsinawa Dominican Sister Mary Frances (Marie Anne) Lennartz, 93, died April 5 in Sinsinawa, Wisconsin.

Born in Chicago, she made her first religious profession in 1944 and her final profession in 1947.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, Sister Mary Frances served as audio-visual librarian at Rosary College (now Dominican University), River Forest (1971-1977); librarian and audio-visual coordinator at Elizabeth Seton, South Holland (1984-1986); and head librarian at St. Rita (1986-1994).

Sister Mary Frances is survived by a sister, Sister Constance Lennartz, and a stepsister, Bernice Santilli.

Religious of the Sacred Heart Catherine Seiker, 94, died April 2 in Atherton, California.

Born in Nebraska, Sister Seiker served in many capacities in the Society of the Sacred Heart, as teacher, province treasurer and business manager. She was responsible for a number of improvements and building projects in the Sacred Heart schools.

Sister Seiker is survived by her brother Vincent Seiker.

Deacon Carl Olson, 91, recently of Wheeling, died March 30. He was ordained in 1978 and served at St. Cornelius Parish for 34 years.

Born in Idaho, he served in the U.S. Navy during World War II.

He is survived by his wife of 69 years, Marguerite, daughters Mary Olson, Patricia Desire and Christine Krzystofczyk and sons John and Paul Olson, as well as eight grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Deacon Ignacio Ortega, 86, died March 28. He was ordained in 1991 and served at St. Mark Parish.

Deacon Ortega immigrated from Mexico in 1964, and he and his late wife, Estella, helped many others come to Chicago from Mexico, including putting people up in their home.

As a deacon, he served at Casa Central and St. Mark’s food pantry, and helped start eucharistic adoration at the parish more than 12 years ago.

Ortega, who was one of six children, had two sins, nine grandchildren, 15 greatgrandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.

Deacon Gilberto Mercado, 74, died March 27.

Ordained in 1985, Deacon Mercado ministered at St. Anthony, Cicero. He was involved in pre-baptism classes, assisted at Mass, performed wakes and house blessings.

He is survived by his wife Martha; his children Martha Mercado-Rios, Salomon Mercado, Angel Mercado, Beatrice Martinez and Yemina Hernandez; and 10 grandchildren.

Divine Word Father Eric Vargas, 67, died Feb. 27 in Techny.

Born in New York City, he joined the Society of the Divine Word in 1963 and was ordained to the priesthood in 1975.

In the early years of his priesthood, he ministered in Naranjito, Puerto Rico. He also did pastoral work on the East Coast and in California.

He was granted early retirement for health reasons in 2004 and moved to Techny in 2008.

He is survived by his sister, Rita Santiago.

Deacon Jaime Juarez, 85, died March 25. He was ordained in 1974.

Deacon Juarez had served at St. Benedict Parish in Chicago. He lived in Schaumburg when he died. He is survived by his wife, Carmen. He also was a father and grandfather.

Dominican Father David Matthew Hynous, 83, died March 24 in Chicago.

Born in Chicago, he attended St. Philip Neri and St. Odilo schools and Fenwick High School, Oak Park. He went to Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa, for two years to prepare to enter the Dominicans in 1952. He was ordained in 1959.

He studied canon law at the Angelicum in Rome and taught at the college level before serving as secretary for the Apostolic Nunciature in Washington, D.C., from 1979 to 1981. He was vicar provincial for the Dominicans for four years and then served the Archdiocese of Chicago’s marriage tribunal as vice chancellor from 1986 to 1995. In 1995 he was called to Rome as procurator general for the Dominican Order.

In 1997 he returned to the tribunal in the Archdiocese of Chicago before serving on the tribunal in the Diocese of Joliet.