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Sr. Mary Presentia Nitecke
Felician Sister Mary Presentia (Lucy) Nitecke, 101, died on Sept. 16 at Our Lady of the Angels Convent.
Born in Milwaukee, she entered the Felician Sisters in 1936 and professed her final vows in 1944. She served primarily as a music teacher for more than 40 years at various schools in Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Texas and North Dakota. She also ministered at St. Francis Hospital in Milwaukee as a medical records clerk for 30 years.
In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she ministered at St. Helen (1936-1937, 1965-1966); St. Joseph (1938-1938, 1960-1961); St. Bruno (1939-1940); St. Mary Magdalene (1944-1947, 1966-1967); St. Stanislaus, Posen (1947-1948, 1973-1975); Holy Innocents, (1948-1949); St. John of God (1956-1958); St. James (1958-1959); Sacred Heart (1959-1960); St. Bronislava (1964-1965) and Our Lady of Ransom, Niles (1968-1969).
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Sr. Jeanne Moceyunas
Sister of St. Casimir Jeanne Moceyunas, 82, died Sept. 20 in Cordoba, Argentina.
Born in Pennsylvania, Sister Jeanne entered the Sisters of St. Casimir in 1956 and made her final vows in 1964. She ministered in New Mexico and in Rosario and Cordoba, Argentina.
In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at Nativity BVM School (1959-1962), St. George School, Bridgeport (1963-1964), and Sts. Peter and Paul School, West Pullman (1964-1966).
She was missioned to Argentina in 1967 and spent 51 years there. -
Sr. Solina Hicks
Mercy Sister Solina (Alice) Hicks, 105, died Sept. 23.
Born in Wisconsin, Sister Solina attended Mercy High School in Milwaukee and entered the Sisters of Mercy in 1934.
Her first assignment was as a kindergarten and first-grade teacher at St. Cecilia, Chicago.
After 10 years of teaching in Chicago Catholic schools, she earned a bachelor’s degree in education in 1952 from Saint Xavier College and a master of fine arts degree in 1954 from Siena Heights College in Adrian, Michigan. Upon graduation, she began her life’s work as an art teacher, and always as a working artist.
Sister Solina was the original designer of the art department at Saint Xavier College’s new campus in 1954. She served as its first chair from then until 1965. She created the Saint Xavier College shield which is still in use today.
Her own work was controversial as she introduced the college community to modern art. “If the church has to deal with the modern then there has to be modern art in the church,” she said.
Always a progressive, Sister Solina’s later experiences included teaching art at an alternative school for Mexican Americans in California. She also spent time on a Navajo reservation in Arizona.
At 105 years old, Sister Solina was the oldest Sister of Mercy in the West Midwest Community.
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Fr. Stanley Plutz
Divine Word Father Stanley Plutz, 92, vice postulator for the canonization of St. Arnold Janssen and longtime missionary in the Philippines, died Sept. 23 in Techny.
Born in Appleton, Wisconsin, Father Plutz entered the Society of the Divine Word in 1940 and professed religious vows in 1946.
In 1953, he was ordained to the priesthood and left for his first overseas assignment in the Philippines in 1954.
In 1999, Father Plutz became the vice postulator for the sainthood cause of Father Arnold Janssen, founder of the Society of the Divine Word.
Upon returning to the United States in 2000, he was assigned to the U.S. Southern Province and continued to promote devotion to St. Arnold, who was canonized in 2003.
During his 46 years as a missionary in the Philippines, Father Plutz served as a teacher and spiritual director.
Father Plutz had been living at Techny since 2013.
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Sr. Virginia O’Reilly
Adrian Dominican Sister Virginia (Joan Patricia) O’Reilly, 91, died Sept. 24 in Adrian, Michigan.
Sister Virginia was born in Detroit and was in the 75th year of her religious life.
Sister Virginia ministered in Illinois, Florida, Georgia and Michigan.
In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at St. Rita Elementary School (1944-1946), Aquinas High School (1960-1964) and Illinois Institute of Technology (1967-1968).
Sister Virginia is survived by a sister, Patricia Rush.
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