Mercy Sister Therese (Tarasia) Windham, 87, died Nov. 24 at Mercy Circle.

Sister Therese graduated from Mercy High School in Chicago in 1946 and worked as a sales clerk, typist and tutor before entering the Sisters of Mercy in 1952.

She earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Saint Xavier University in 1957 and began teaching physics, chemistry, math and computer science, mostly in high schools and community colleges in Illinois and Wisconsin.

She earned master’s degrees in physics and computer science after starting her teaching career.

She also participated in the Bible study group at St. Linus Parish for five years.

Divine Word Father John Fincutter, 96, died Nov. 27. He was the only Divine Word missionary to serve three consecutive terms as rector of the Techny community.

As rector, Father Fincutter oversaw the construction of the Divine Word Residence.

Born in Libertyville, Father Fincutter began his studies with the Divine Word Missionaries in 1938, professed vows in 1943 and was ordained to the priesthood at Techny in 1950.

Recognizing his academic abilities, his superiors sent him to England for his first assignment. While in Great Britain, he served as headmaster at St. Richard’s College in Hadzor. He also served two terms as provincial of the British Province.

After two decades in Great Britain, Father Fincutter returned to the United States. He was elected rector of the Techny Community in 1973 and held that position until 1982. In addition to overseeing the building of the present residence building, he championed the creation of a landfill that produced significant revenue that was used in the Chicago Province and in the foreign missions.

Father Fincutter later taught Scripture at the minor seminary in East Troy, Wisconsin. He also served as rector of the Divine Word community in East Troy. In semi-retirement, he acted as business manager for the Divine Word community at East Troy, taught Scripture to adults in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee and authored the Arnold Janssen Scripture Study Course.

Father Fincutter moved to Techny in 2013. He is survived by his brother, Robert.

Sister of the Living Word Virginia Thoen-nes, 89, died Dec. 8 in Chicago.

Born in Chicago, Sister Virginia was a Sister of the Living Word for 44 years, and a Sister of Christian Charity before that. She taught in the Chicago area and was principal of St. Gregory High School from 1976 to 1981.

She served in leadership for her community, and later as pastoral associate at various parishes in the northern suburbs. She was very involved in Church Women United and other justice works at St. Edna Parish in Arlington Heights. She lived the past eight years at Resurrection Life Center in Chicago.

She is survived by her siblings Martha Kastens and Richard Thoennes.

BVM Sister Mary Christine (Christophil) Athans, 87, died Dec. 7 in Dubuque, Iowa.

Sister Mary Christine was born in Joliet, Illinois, and entered the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in 1955. She made final vows in 1963.

She was an adjunct professor at Loyola University Institute of Pastoral Studies and Catholic Theological Union, both in Chicago. She was assistant professor of religious studies at the University of Illinois in Champaign. She also taught at universities in Minnesota and California. She began her ministry by teaching high school and elementary school, including St. Eugene School.

Sister Mary Christine wrote extensively on Jewish-Christian relations, including her book “In Quest of the Jewish Mary: The Mother of Jesus in History, Theology and Spirituality.”

She served on more than 20 boards and committees, including the Chicago-Jewish Scholars Dialogue sponsored by the Archdiocese of Chicago, the Chicago Board of Rabbis and the United Jewish Federation of Greater Chicago.

She is survived by siblings Catherine Athans and Cyril Athans.

Father George H. Clements, 87, died Nov. 25. He was pastor emeritus of Holy Angels Parish.

Born in Chicago, he attended Quigley Preparatory Seminary, becoming its first African American graduate, and the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary before being ordained in 1957.

After ordination, Father Clements was assistant pastor of St. Ambrose and St. Dorothy parishes. He served as pastor of Holy Angels from 1969 to 1991 and later ministered in the Diocese of Nassau in the Bahamas, West Indies, and the Archdiocese of Washington. He retired in 2006.

Father Clements was active in the civil rights movement, marching with Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. in Chicago, Alabama and Mississippi.

Father Clements, an advocate for adoption, is survived by his four sons, 15 grandchildren and his sister.

He requested that his body be donated to the Loyola University School of Medicine. A memorial service is scheduled for Jan. 26, 2020, Clements’ 88th birthday, at St. Sabina Church.