School Sister of Notre Dame Mary Bruce (Patricia Ann) Wright, 82, died March 1 at Resurrection Life Center.

Born in Chicago, she was baptized at St. Michael Church and attended St. Bonaventure School and St. Michael High School.

She entered the School Sisters of Notre Dame in 1955 and professed final vows in 1963.

Sister Mary Bruce taught intermediate grades at schools in Wisconsin and locally at St. Rosalie, Harwood Heights; and St. Paul. She became an administrator at St. Paul, and later at St. Margaret of Scotland, also in Chicago, after teaching junior high at St. Margaret for several years.

In 1997, Sister Mary Bruce became medical payments coordinator for the Chicago Province, and eventually for the Chicago area of the Atlantic-Midwest Province.

School Sister of Notre Dame Julita (Stella) Jelen, 102, died at Resurrection Life Center on April 18.

She was a vowed member of the School Sisters of Notre Dame for 84 years.

Born in Chicago, she attended St. John Cantius School and St. Stanislaus Commercial High School. She was received into the novitiate in 1934 and was professed the following year. She taught first grade for 31 years at many schools, including St. Therese Chinese Catholic School. She opened a new school in Wisconsin with two companions before returning to the Archdiocese of Chicago to teach at St. Alphonsus; St. Anthony; and St. Benedict, Blue Island.

In 1975, Sister Julita became principal at St. Michael School in Old Town. Sister Julita was the last principal there; the school closed in 1981.

She was then principal of St. Columba School for 10 years. Following retirement, she remained at St. Columba, ministering to the homebound and elderly and volunteering as librarian and tutor in the school.

She moved to Resurrection Life Center in 2015.

Servite Sister Bridie Kelly, 88, died May 14 in Wheeling.

She retired after many years of service at St. Domitilla School, Hillside.

She is survived by her sisters Kathleen Shanley, Mary Duggan, Nora Doherty and Margaret Callaghan.

Father Edward J. McKenna, 79, died April 11. He was most recently the  Catholic chaplain at St. James Hospital in Chicago Heights.

Father McKenna was born in Chicago and attended St. Dorothy and St. Philip Neri schools, Quigley Preparatory Seminary and the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary before being ordained in 1965.

He was assistant pastor of St. Thomas Aquinas and associate pastor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish, Glenview; St. Bridget; and St. Paul (22nd Place).

Rev. David P. Dowdle, 65, died April 18. He was senior priest and former pastor of St. John of the Cross Parish in Western Springs.

Born in Chicago, he attended St. Bernardine School, Forest Park; Quigley Preparatory Seminary; Niles College Seminary of Loyola University; and the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary before being ordained in 1979.

Father Dowdle served as associate pastor of St. Marcelline, Schaumburg; St. Mary of Celle, Berwyn; and Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Glenview. He was pastor of St. Gall (1992-2000), then became director of spiritual formation for the Deacon Formation Program.

In 2007, Dowdle was appointed pastor of St. John of the Cross in Western Springs, Illinois, and served in that role until 2018. As his health declined, he continued to serve as a senior priest.