Father Edwin D. Pacocha, 89, died Jan. 24. He was pastor emeritus of St. Cornelius, now part of St. Elizabeth of the Trinity Parish.

Born in Chicago, Father Pacocha attended St. John Berchmans School, Quigley Preparatory Seminary and the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary before being ordained in 1962.

After ordination, he was assistant pastor of St. Priscilla; St. Mary of Czestochowa, Cicero; St. Mary, Buffalo Grove;  and St. John Vianney; Northlake. He was associate pastor of St. Paul of the Cross, Park Ridge. He served as pastor at St. Cornelius for more than 20 years until he retired in 2008 and was named pastor emeritus.

Father Richard Yanos, pastor at Queen of Peace Parish in Chicago, had known “Father Ed” when Father Pacocha assisted at St. Eugene Parish as a retired priest.

 “He was a hardworking priest, and even though he was retired he was always willing to do what was needed at the parish,” Yanos said. “He helped with daily Masses, weekend Masses, confessions at the parish and at the school. The students loved him.”

Yanos added, “Among our parishioners, he was known as ‘Fast Eddy’ because his Masses were always short.”

Providence Sister Dorothy (Margaret Eugene) Gartland, 96, died Dec. 25 in St. Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana.

Born in Missouri, she entered the Sisters of Providence in 1948 and professed final vows in 1955.

She taught in Illinois, Indiana and Washington, D.C., and was an advocate and worked in various parish ministries.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at Immaculate Conception (1953-1955) and St. Mel (1969-1974). She worked at the 8th Day Center for Justice (1974-1986) and lived and ministered at Maternity BVM Parish (1986-2018).

She returned to the motherhouse in 2018 and in 2024, she dedicated herself totally to the ministry of prayer.

Sister Dorothy is survived by her sister, Mary Ann Kunkel, and three brothers: Eugene, William and John Gartland.

Poor Handmaid of Jesus Christ Sister Joan Kathleen (Colette) Fisher, 95, died Dec. 27 in Donaldson, Indiana.

Born in Indiana, she entered the Poor Handmaids of Jesus Christ in 1948 and professed her first vows in 1951. 

She was an elementary school and Montessori teacher in Indiana and Illinois, including at Angel Guardian Orphanage.

In 1978, she founded the Daystar Program in Cairo, Illinois, to bring hope to people who were poor, elderly or otherwise disadvantaged, and in 1997, she was one of the founders of Sojourner Truth House for women and children in Gary, Indiana.

Sister Joan was also director of the Poor Handmaid Associate Community from 1986 to 1992. In 2002, she moved to the Poor Handmaid Motherhouse to minister to her mother, who then lived at Catherine Kasper Nursing Home. In 2006, Sister Joan was asked to become a member of the Catherine’s Cottage Supportive Community.

Felician Sister Mary Lourdine (Irene) Lachowski, 101, died on Jan. 6 at Mother of Good Counsel Convent.

Born in Joliet, she joined the Felician Sisters aspirancy in 1938 and attended Good Counsel High School.  She entered the Felician Sisters postulancy in 1942 and professed her final vows in 1950. She ministered for over 50 years as a teacher and principal in elementary schools in Illinois and Wisconsin. Later, she was active in Mercy Home Phone Ministry.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she ministered at St. Helen (1942-1943); St. Joseph (1944-1949); St. Bruno (1952-1953); St. Wenceslaus (1953-1960); Ascension (1963-1971); Holy Innocents (1971-1972); St. Linus, Oak Lawn (1972-1982); and Our Lady of Ransom, Niles (1982-2004); and Mercy Home for Boys & Girls (2004-2020).

Sister of St. Joseph of Carondolet Virginia Anne (Mary Patricia) Fannin, 96, died Jan. 14 in St. Louis.

Born in Chicago, Sister Virginia Anne entered the community in 1948 and made her final profession in 1956.

Sister Virginia Anne spent her first 19 years of ministry working in education in Missouri, Hawaii, Alabama and Illinois.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at St. Viator Grade School (1966-1967).

She then served as a medical records technician in Michigan and Missouri, before returning to Chicago as a receptionist at DePaul University (1978-1979).

She spent the next 21 years at St. Viator school and parish as a religious education instructor (1979-1992), librarian (1970-1998) and parish sacristan (1996-2000).

From 2000 to 2003, she served at Our Lady of the Nativity as a receptionist and a volunteer librarian and tutor.