Divine Word Father Raymond Hober, 92, a missionary in the Philippines for more than three decades, died Aug. 3 in Techny.

Born in Pennsylvania, Father Hober entered the Society of the Divine Word in 1946 and professed vows in 1952 in New York. In 1960, he was ordained to the priesthood in Techny.

Following ordination, he was assigned to the Philippines, where he undertook additional theology courses in Manila before going to Mindoro, where he taught secondary school and college classes and served as a college administrator.

He simultaneously served the SVD Mindoro Province as treasurer. After a successful career in higher education, Father Hober was assigned to the Social Action committee of the Vicariate of Calapan. During this time, he found and dug water wells for communities desperately in need of fresh water.

In 2001, Father Hober was assigned to the Pittsburgh Community of the Chicago Province to travel and deliver mission appeals. He moved to Techny in semi-retirement in 2016.

Sister of the Living Word Rita Ramos, 90, died Aug. 6.

Born in Chicago, she spent her entire religious life and ministry in various missions in the Chicago area. She served as an elementary teacher for 17 years, and in parish ministry, teaching English as a Second Language, and fostering leadership in the Latino community from 1974 to 1989.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she served at Maternity BVM; St. Raphael; St. Teresa; St. Aloysius; Annunciation; St. Gregory; Our Lady of the Angels; St. Pius V; St. Joan of Arc, Skokie; Morton Community College, Cicero; Household International, Mount Prospect; High School District 214, Arlington Heights; Harper Community College, Palatine; St. Nicholas, Evanston; and St. Hedwig. She also served in Westmont, Aurora and Elgin; and in Wisconsin.

Deacon William Kalivoda, 84, died Aug. 4. He was ordained in 1979 and served at St. Julian Eymard, Elk Grove Village.

He retired in 2013 to care for his wife, Ginny, who predeceased him.

He is survived by his children Bob Kalivoda and Carol Bochat, five grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

Divine Word Father Gerard O’Doherty, 85, died in Techny on July 16. He had served on three continents.

“He will be remembered by those who live and follow his example,” said Father Thomas Krosnicki SVD, who delivered the homily at Father O’Doherty’s funeral Mass. “He took pride in being a missionary servant.”

Born in Dublin, he completed his novitiate and seminary education in Ireland before being ordained in 1974.

Father O’Doherty’s superiors sent him to the Philippines for his first assignment to serve as a teacher and administrator. He worked in education and pastoral ministry in the Philippines for 17 years before returning home to Ireland to serve as procurator of the Ireland Community.

Five years later in 1996, he was needed in California, where he was appointed treasurer for the Western Province, while serving in several parishes.

Father O’Doherty moved to Techny in retirement in 2017.

He is survived by his brothers James, Peter and Brian O’Doherty.

Sinsinawa Dominican Sister Patricia (Adrianne) Brennan, 98, died July 27 in Sinsinawa, Wisconsin.

Born in Iowa, she professed vows in 1951.

Sister Patricia taught elementary school in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois, Oklahoma, Montana, New Jersey and Wyoming, where she was also a principal. She also served as executive housekeeper at the Dominican Motherhouse in Sinsinawa.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at St. Jarlath and taught and was librarian at Epiphany School where she also served as librarian.

She is survived by a sister, Rita Seidl.

Esther Mikuta (nee Abramowicz), 92, died Aug. 8. She was the sister of the late Bishop Alfred Abramowicz.

She was born, raised and lived in the Brighton Park community of Chicago until 1996, where she was a devoted volunteer to many parish ministries, causes and social activities at St. Pancratius Parish, as well as Five Holy Martyrs, where her brother was pastor from 1968 to 1990. She was active in the Council of Catholic Women and hospitality ministries at her parish, St. Bernard in Homer Glen.

Mrs. Mikuta was proud of her Polish ancestry and worked as a travel agent for decades, allowing her to travel to Japan, Russia, Yugoslavia, New Zealand and to Rome for a private audience with St. John Paul II.

Mrs. Mikuta was predeceased by her husband, Richard. She is survived by her children Kimberly Mikuta, Kevin Mikuta, Keith Mikuta and Kurt Mikuta; nine grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren.

Deacon Eric B. Sorenson, 70, died July 16.

He was ordained in 2006 for the Archdiocese of Detroit and moved to the Archdiocese of Chicago in 2014 and was incardinated in 2017.

He served at St. Andrew and Queen of Apostles parishes.

Deacon Sorensen began his journey in ministry after a successful career in the auto industry, where he grew and managed an industrial controls company.

He is survived by his wife, Rita; his children Steven Sorenson, Karen Helm and Nicole Drury, and four grandchildren.

Providence Sister Mary Catherine (Esther Josephine) Keene, 85, died July 20 in St. Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana.

Born in Indianapolis, she entered the Sisters of Providence in 1957 and professed final vows in 1964. She earned a master’s degree in music from the University of Illinois and a master’s degree in theological studies from Catholic Theological Union.

She ministered as a music teacher, director of liturgy, community leader and family caregiver in Illinois and Indiana.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at Mother Theodore Guerin High School, River Grove (1965-1971).

Father Lawrence F. Springer, 90, died June 28. He was the former associate pastor of St. Zachary Parish, Des Plaines.

Born in Chicago, Father Springer attended Quigley Preparatory Seminary and the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary before being ordained in 1959.

He served as assistant pastor of St. Matthias; St. Mary, Buffalo Grove; and Our Lady of Victory parishes. He was associate pastor of St. Athanasius, Evanston; St. Joseph, Libertyville; St. John Brebeuf, Niles; St. Linus, Oak Lawn; and St. Zachary. He retired in 2003.

Father Ronald Kalas, vicar for senior priests and one of Father Springer’s classmates, recalled how his friend “loved the church from the time he was an altar server, then to the seminary days and then to his 65 years of priesthood.”

Kalas added that his classmate “served in many parishes and enjoyed carefully following the liturgical renewal and even donated vestments to the parishes he served.” 

Deacon Casimir “Casey” Fronczek, 99, died June 28. One of two deaf deacons ordained for the Archdiocese of Chicago, he served at the St. Francis Borgia Deaf Center.

He is survived by his sons Daniel and David, five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. He was predeceased by his wife, Alice.