Sister of St. Casimir Kathleen Smith, 79, died July 14 in Lemont.

Born in Chicago, she graduated from Maria High School in 1959. She made her first vows in 1962 and her perpetual vows in 1967.

She served as an elementary school teacher in Illinois, Minnesota, Ohio and California and as a high school art teacher in Illinois and Michigan, receiving awards for her work and that of her students. In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she began her ministry teaching first and second grades at Sts. Peter and Paul (1962-1966, 1971-1973); Our Lady of Vilna (1969-1970); and St. Anthony, Cicero (1974-1977). She then taught art at Maria High School (1977-1995).

Sister of St. Joseph-Third Order of St. Francis Magdalene Kabat, 86, died July 19.

She was in religious life for 67 years and had been a dedicated teacher in Indiana and Illinois, and she served as principal of St. Mary of Czestochowa, Cicero.

She is survived by siblings Lorraine Gorski, Melanie Cholewa, Robert Kabat and Patricia Harp.

Father John B. Peng, 94, died June 11 in Sichuan, China. He was a former chaplain of St. Elizabeth Hospital.

Father Peng was born  in China and was ordained there in 1955. After ordination, he served in Taiwan until 1960, and then for a short term in Malaysia. He moved to Chicago and was incardinated in the archdiocese in 1989.

Father Peng served in the Archdiocese of Chicago at St. John Nepomucene Parish and as chaplain at St. Elizabeth Hospital until he retired in 1994. After his retirement, Father Peng did missionary work in Sichuan, China.

“We are so thankful Father Peng lived a long life and did so much to help the Catholic Church in China,” said Peng’s niece Stephanie Leung.

Father Michael J. Bowler, 90, died June 29. He was the former associate pastor of St. Turibius Parish.

Father Bowler was born in Chicago and attended Quigley Preparatory Seminary and the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary before being ordained in 1957.

He was assistant pastor of St. Thomas More, Resurrection (Jackson Street), Visitation and St. Eugene. He was associate pastor of St. Bernardine, Forest Park; St. Cornelius; St. Mary of Perpetual Help; and St. Turibius. He retired in 2001.

Father Bartholomew J. Juncer, pastor of St. Odilo Parish in Berwyn, was a good friend of Father Bowler.

“He was very dedicated as a priest to the people of God. Even in his 80s, he would visit people in hospitals, visit the sick to bring Communion and to anoint them, he would come to church to celebrate Mass,” Juncer said.

Deacon Paul Bovyn, 91, died July 16 at Jesse Brown VA Medical Center. He was ordained in 1972 and served at St. Francis Xavier and then Resurrection Parish (Francisco Avenue).

Born in Chicago, Deacon Bovyn attended Lane Tech High School before joining the U.S. Army and serving in the Korean War. He was a recipient of the Purple Heart.

He married his late wife, Eugenia (Jeannie), in 1952.

He was ordained in the first class of permanent deacons in the Archdiocese of Chicago and served at St. Francis Xavier, which became part of Resurrection Parish in 1991. He officiated at many baptisms and weddings and led holy hours even after he retired.

He was an associate of the Sisters of St. Francis of Joliet for 40 years.

He is survived by his children Michael Bovyn, Cynthia Beck, Gregory Bovyn, Glen Bovyn, Laura Mathis, Timothy Bovyn and Paula Shaughnessy; 13 grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren.