Mercy Sister Mary Marita Shaughnessy, 91, died March 15.

Born in Chicago, she attended St. Gabriel School and St. Patrick Academy in Des Plaines. She entered the Sisters of Mercy in Des Plaines in 1943.

She taught primary grades throughout the Chicago area from 1945 until the mid-1960s. After ministering in Wisconsin and McHenry, Illinois, she returned Chicago and served at Mother McAuley High School as a substitute teacher and support staff (1996-2006). From 2006 to 2011, she volunteered in development.

Sister of St. Joseph-Third Order of St. Francis Dolores Mary (Aurelia) Koza, 89, died Nov. 27.

She was a teacher, director of novices, provincial of SSJ TOSF, director of religious education and pastoral associate, and had been in religious life for 71 years. In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she ministered at Lourdes High School, Immaculata Congregational Home, St. Leo the Great Parish and Our Lady of the Snows.

Sister Alice (Walter Marie) Wolski, 94, died Nov. 28 in Adrian, Michigan.

Sister Alice was born in Detroit and was in her 76th year of religious life.

Sister Alice ministered in Michigan, Illinois, Florida and Ohio. In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at Queen of Angels (1941- 1948).

Sister of St. Joseph Margaret Ann White, 85, died Nov. 25.

She had been in religious life for 66 years.

Sister Margaret Ann was a teacher at Divine Infant, Westchester; St. Hugh, Lyons; St. Francis Xavier, LaGrange and Our Lady of Bethlehem, LaGrange. She was director of the learning center at St. Francis Xavier, La- Grange, and secretary to the development and alumni Office at Nazareth Academy. Sister Margaret Ann was also secretary of the Congregation of St. Joseph and secretary to the Comboni Fathers.

She is survived by her sister, Dominican Sister Colleen White.

Deacon Gene O’Hern, 73, and his wife, Carol O’Hern, 75, died Dec. 12 in a car accident in Gainesville, Florida.

Deacon O’Hern was ordained in 1999 and served at St. Thomas of Villanova Parish in Palatine. He and his wife moved to Rockledge, Florida, in 2003. He ministered at Blessed Sacrament Parish in Cocoa, Florida, where they were members. He also worked as finance director of St. Mary Parish in Rockledge.

Father William Sheridan, 90, died Dec. 9. For most of his priestly ministry, he was on the faculty of Quigley Preparatory Seminary North.

Born in Chicago, he attended St. Nicholas of Tolentine School, Mount Carmel High School, Quigley Preparatory Seminary North and the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary before being ordained in 1954.

He also earned a master’s degree in classics the University of Notre Dame.

Father Sheridan served as assistant pastor at St. Bonaventure (1954-1957). He then began teaching at Quigley Preparatory Seminary North, while residing at St. Philip Neri Parish, and served as a professor, spiritual director and athletic director. He continued to teach until his retirement in 1995. Father Sheridan also remained a resident of St. Philip Neri Parish, serving the parish community until his passing.

In a 2011 interview with the Catholic New World, Father Sheridan reflected on the importance of his vocation, “I can say without a doubt, the greatest blessing of my life has been the gift of priesthood.”

BVM Sister Therese (Therese Emile) Miller, 87, died Nov. 23 in Dubuque, Iowa. Born in Iowa, she entered the BVM congregation in 1950 and professed final vows in 1957.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, Sister Therese taught at Blessed Sacrament, Holy Cross and St. Agatha. She served as BVM congregational employee and convent cook in Iowa. 

BVM Sister Veronica (Ita) Grennan, 103, died Nov. 22 in Dubuque, Iowa.

Born in Sterling, Illinois, she entered the BVM congregation in 1931 and professed final vows in 1939.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, Sister Veronica taught at St. Thomas of Canterbury; St. Odilo, Berwyn; and Mary Queen of Heaven, Cicero. She also ministered in Iowa, Oregon and elsewhere in Illinois.

She is survived by a sister, Mary Alice Butler.

Sister of St. Joseph Thomas Agnes (Margaret) King, 96, died Nov. 19.

She was in her 75th year of religious life.

Sr. Thomas Agnes served as a teacher at St. Francis Xavier, La- Grange; as principal and superior at St. Joseph Academy; and as a teacher at Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Melrose Park; as principal at St. Bonaventure; as a teacher at Divine Infant, Westchester and St. Leonard, Berwyn; as assistant principal at St. John Fisher; and as pastoral assistant at St. Barbara, Brookfield.

Sister of Notre Dame de Namur Marguerite of the Sacred Heart Schoenung, 86, died Nov. 14 in Cincinnati.

Born in Cincinnati, she and her twin sister, Sister Frances Mary of the Sacred Heart Schoenung, Sister Marguerite finished high school and worked for three years to help ease the family’s financial burden before joining the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur in 1951.

Sister Marguerite taught every level from kindergarten through 8th grade at schools in Ohio and Illinois. In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at St. Robert Bellarmine (1954-1958).

Sister Marguerite is survived by her sisters, Sister Frances Mary Schoenung, SNDdeN, and Julie Reese; her brothers, Jerry and Joseph Schoenung; and many nieces and nephews.

Sister Mary Esther (Francis Gertrude) Lane, 101, died Nov. 19 in St. Mary-of-the- Woods, Indiana.

Born in Indiana, she entered the Sisters of Providence in 1933 and professed final vows in 1942.

Sister Mary Esther ministered as teacher for 43 years in schools in Indiana, California and Illinois before serving on the staff of several retreat centers and parishes.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at St. Sylvester (1936- 1938); St. Angela, (1938-1940, 1941); St. Agnes (1942-1945) and St. Mark (1961- 1963).

Divine Word Father Charles Schneider, 97, who served as a missionary in Ghana for more than half a century, died in Techny on Sunday, Nov. 6.

Born in Buffalo, New York, he entered the Divine Word seminary at age 13.

He professed vows in 1941, was ordained to the priesthood in 1946 and assigned to the missions in West Africa in 1948.

During his 55 years in Ghana, he was pastor, provided spiritual formation for students, was a bursar and seminary rector, and served as regional superior for his congregation.

Sinsinawa Dominican Sister Alexis Searfoss, 93, died Oct. 30, in Sinsinawa, Wisconsin.

Born in Chicago, Sister Alexis made her first religious profession in 1943 and her final profession in 1946. She ministered in education and pastoral ministry in Wisconsin, Illinois and New Jersey.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, Sister Alexis taught at SS. Faith, Hope, and Charity, Winnetka (1949-1957) and St. Thomas More (1963-1966).

Mercy Sister Anne Marie (Bernice, Mary Bertina) Doran, 89, died in Chicago Oct. 25. Born in Chicago, she worked for the Sisters of Mercy while attending Mercy High School, and she entered the community in 1946.

Until 1971, she taught in Catholic grade schools in Chicago and Park Ridge, as well as other areas of Illinois and Wisconsin.

She left teaching to pursue a ministry in health care, and worked as a licensed practical nurse for almost 30 years in what is now known as Presence Health in Aurora, Illinois.

She is survived by siblings Margaret Hastings, Barbara J. Novotny and Richard Doran.

Sister of St. Casimir Ann Mary Cizikas, 91, died Oct. 17 at Mother Theresa Home in Lemont.

A native of Kenosha, Wisconsin, Sister Ann entered the Sisters of St. Casimir in 1945 and made her final vows in 1953.

She ministered in schools and health care facilities in Illinois, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Nebraska.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she served at Our Lady of Vilna School (1959-1962), Providence of God School (1962-1964), St. Casimir School, Chicago Heights (1967-1970), St. Anthony School, Cicero (1970-1972), Loretto Hospital (1978-1983), and the infirmary of the Sisters of St. Casimir (1983-1987).

Sinsinawa Dominican Sister Juliana Amenda, 94, died Oct. 10 in Sinsinawa, Wisconsin.

Born in Wisconsin, Sister Juliana made her first religious profession in 1954 and her final profession in 1957. She taught and ministered as a physical therapist in Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Iowa.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, Sister Juliana taught at St. Thomas More (1954-1957).

Deacon James Davis, 90, of Forest Park, died Nov. 9. He was ordained in 1979 and was retired from minsitering at St. Martin de Porres Parish.

He was born in North Carolina and served two years in the U.S. Army. He married his late wife, Fannie Knox, in 1944. The couple were married for 59 years.

Deacon Davis worked as an officer in the Illinois State Police for 25 years. In 1963, he was baptized Catholic. He sent his children to Catholic schools and was among the first black permanent deacons ordained in the archdiocese.

In retirement, Deacon Davis ministered as a chaplain at Mercy, Cook County and Loretto hospitals and worked as a certified addictions counselor in the community.

Deacon Davis is survived by his children Portia Shaw, Gail Davis and Kevin Davis; 10 grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren.

Deacon J. Brendan Foley, 85, died Nov. 8 at Northwest Community Hospital in Arlington Heights. He was ordained in 1989 and served at Our Lady of the Wayside Parish in Arlington Heights.

Born in New Jersey, Deacon Foley served in the Army during the Korean War, graduated from Seton Hall University and was a sales representative for the DuPont and Day-Glo companies.

His greatest enjoyment for the last 30 years was decorating his yard for Halloween.

He is survived by his children Elizabeth Foley-Roland and Brendan “BJ” Foley and his brothers Quentin and Brian Foley.

Father Patrick Cecil, 64, died Nov. 14 at Skokie Hospital. Father Cecil was pastor of St. Mary of the Woods Parish.

Father Pat, as he was known, was born in Chicago and attended St. John Brebeuf School in Niles and St. Joseph School in Elgin, Illinois, before entering Quigley Preparatory Seminary, and later Niles College Seminary at Loyola University Chicago, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in theater. He graduated from the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary and was ordained in 1978.

He served as associate pastor of St. Angela (1978-1984); St. Zachary, Des Plaines (1984-1991); and St. Mary, Buffalo Grove (1992-1996). He was pastor of St. Patrick, Wadsworth (1996-2010) before being named pastor of St. Mary of the Woods.

Father Cecil was a dean in Vicariates I and II and a member of the archdiocesan Priests’ Placement Board.

Father Cecil is survived by his brothers Jim and Bill, and his sisters Janice and Diane.

Adrian Dominican Sister Renee (Lois Janette, Januaria) Richie, 82, died Sept. 23 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Born in Detroit, she was in the 63rd year of her religious profession in the Adrian Dominican Congregation.

Sister Renee ministered in Illinois for 30 years. In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at St. Carthage (1954-1961); Queen of Apostles, River dale (1965-1966); St. Denis (1966-1969); and St. Joseph, Homewood (1969-1970). She was principal at St. Clare of Montefalco (1970-1975) and St. James, Maywood (1980-1989) and she was a pastoral minister at St. Agatha (1975-1980).

She is survived by a brother, Owen Richie.