Sinsinawa Dominican Sister Prudence Ludwig died Aug. 16, her 96th birthday, in Sinsinawa, Wisconsin.

Born in Montana, Sister Prudence made her first religious profession in 1945 and her final profession in 1948. She served in Illinois, Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Oklahoma, Nebraska, California and Colorado.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, Sister Prudence taught at St. Philip Benizi (1945-1949), Visitation (1957-1958) and St. Brendan (1960-1967 and 1978-1979).

She is survived by a sister, Barbara Corboy.

Sister of Providence Jean Anne (Robert Marie) Maher, 85, died Aug. 23 in Terre Haute, Indiana.

Born in Chicago, she attended St. Agnes School and Providence High School. She entered the Congregation of the Sisters of Providence in 1951 and professed final vows in 1955. 

Sister Jean Anne ministered in Indiana, Illinois, California, Maryland, Massachusetts and Washington, D.C.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at St. Andrew (1965-1967); St. Mark (1967-1970); St. David (1970-1971, 1979-1980); St. Sylvester (1975-1976); St. Angela (1976-1978); Chicago Urban Skills Institute (1980-1984); St. Priscilla (1984-1985); St. Beatrice, Schiller Park (1992-1993); Holy Family (1993-1994); and St. Stanislaus Kostka (1994-1996); and was a pastoral associate at St. Mark (1996-1999) and St. Simeon, Bellwood (1999-2003).

Sister Jean Anne is survived by a sister, Celeste Sammet.

Sinsinawa Dominican Sister Mary (Marie Florian) Wolff, 100, died Sept. 3 in Sinsinawa, Wisconsin.

Born in Nebraska, Sister Mary made her first religious profession as a Sinsinawa in 1938, and her final profession in 1941. She taught for 69 years, 10 while also serving as principal, and created and ran a reading program for 10 years. Sister Mary served in Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, California and Colorado.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, Sister Mary taught at St. Philip Benizi (1938-1939); Visitation (1939-1947); St. Philip the Apostle, Northfield (1959-1964); and Trinity High School, River Forest (1981-1988).

She is survived by two brothers, F. Patrick Wolff and Benedictine Abbot Theodore Wolff.

Adrian Dominican Sister Mary Ellen (Ann Edward) Brodeur, 90, died Sept. 10 in Adrian, Michigan.

Born in Detroit, she was in the 72nd year of her religious profession.

Sister Mary Ellen ministered in Michigan, Ohio, Illinois and Florida.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at St. Carthage (1955-1961).

Father Thomas J. Purtell, 83, died Aug. 24. He was pastor emeritus of St. John Fisher Parish.

Born in Chicago, Father Purtell attended Our Lady of Victory School, Quigley Preparatory Seminary and the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary before being ordained in 1961.

He was assistant pastor at St. Joseph, Homewood; Our Lady of Lourdes (Keeler Street); and St. Benedict, Blue Island. He was named pastor of St. John Fisher Parish in 1984, and he remained there until he retired in 2003.

Father Daniel Brady, pastor emeritus of St. Cecilia Parish in Mount Prospect, knew Father Purtell for almost 70 years and remembers his classmate as “a very good friend, a marvelous storyteller and wonderful priest.”