BVM Sister Anita (Felicity) Montavon, 82, died Dec. 2 in Dubuque, Iowa.

Born in DeKalb, Illinois, she entered the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary congregation in 1956 and professed final vows in 1964.

In Chicago, she taught at Holy Name Elementary School; worked as a librarian at Our Lady of Lourdes, Sulzer Public Library and River Forest Public Library; served in pastoral ministry at Ravenswood Hospital; and was an office manager.

Sister Anita also ministered in East Moline and Rock Island in Illinois and in Colorado, Montana, Washington and Wyoming.

She is survived by her twin sister Miriam Montavon and sisters Jane Bleivik, Ruth Graves and Terese Byrne.

Deacon Gerald Zych, 78, died Nov. 10.

He was ordained in 1987 and served at St. Giles Parish, Oak Park.

In the parish, Deacon Zych Gerry presided over baptisms and pet blessings, Ash Wednesday prayer services and Lenten Stations of the Cross.

He and his wife of 52 years, Madonna, were instrumental in liturgical celebrations for the parish’s annual marriage anniversary Masses and observances of Memorial Day, the Fourth of July and Labor Day, as well as hospitality Sundays.

Deacon Zych is survived by his wife; his children, George and Geralanne; and two grandchildren.

Sister of St. Casimir Lorraine Therese Siminas, 86, died Oct. 24 in Lemont.

Born in the Pilsen neighborhood of Chicago, she grew up a parishioner of Our Lady of Vilna Parish. She graduated from Visitation Catholic School and completed high school at St. Casimir Academy. She made her first profession of vows in 1953 and her perpetual vows as a Sister of St. Casimir in 1958.

Sister Lorraine Therese’s ministry for 53 years was in education, teaching mostly in the primary grades. In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at Holy Cross, Town of Lake (1954-1956); Nativity BVM (1960-1964, 1970-1971); St. Norbert, Northbrook (1965-1968); St. George (Bridgeport) (1976-1973, 1981-1982); Providence of God (Pilsen) (1973-1875); Sts. Peter and Paul (West Pullman) (1975-1977); and Our Lady of Vilna (Pilsen, 1980-1981). She also taught in New Mexico, Minnesota, Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania, as well as in Plano, Illinois.

Sister Lorraine Therese most recently served in the ministry of prayer and presence at Franciscan Village in Lemont. 

Benedictine Sister Victoria (Lorenzia) Marconi, 97, died Nov. 5 at St. Scholastica Monastery.

Sister Victoria was born in Pennsylvania and entered the Benedictine Sisters of Elk County at St. Joseph Monastery in 1944. She professed first vows in 1945 and perpetual vows in 1948. The rite of consecration of virgins was reintroduced in the time of Pope Pius XII around 1950, and Sister Victoria engaged in this rite on the 13th anniversary of her vows.

Her 69 years of active ministry were primarily in teaching first graders in the Diocese of Erie, Pennsylvania. Sister corresponded with many of them until the time of her unexpected death.

In 2013, when the Benedictine community at St. Joseph Monastery could no longer remain independent, Sister Victoria asked to transfer to the Benedictine Sisters of Chicago and began her first year of residence in St. Joseph Court, the infirmary at St. Scholastica Monastery. The transfer of her vows was finalized in 2014 and she celebrated both her 70th and 75th jubilees in Chicago.

Columban Father Charles Joseph O’Rourke, 90, died Nov. 6 in Papillion, Nebraska.

Born in Iowa, he joined the Columban Fathers as a high school student and was ordained at St. Columban’s Major Seminary in Massachusetts in 1957. From 1958 until 1985, he was mostly on mission in South Korea. Upon returning to the United States, he pastored Korean Catholic communities in Chicago, Los Angeles and Omaha. After a transfer to the Columban headquarters in Bellevue, Nebraska, he continued ministry to the Korean Catholics of the area and to contemplative prayer groups.

He is survived by two of his sisters, Rita Gubbels and Sister Jeanne O’Rourke, RSM, of Omaha, and many nieces and nephews.