School Sister of St. Francis Maureen Durkin, 79, died Feb. 15 in Greenfield, Wisconsin.

Born in Wisconsin, Sister Maureen was received into the School Sisters of St. Francis in 1965; made her first profession of vows in 1967; and made her final vows in 1976.

Beginning in 1968, Sister Maureen ministered in Chicago and Milwaukee. In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she ministered in Chicago in home care for another sister’s parent in 1994, then served as a registered nurse at St. Joseph Home (1995-2006), St. Joseph Village (2006-2007), Hospice of Illinois (2007-2009) and Maxim Health Care Services (2009-2011).

Most recently, Sister Maureen ministered as a health advocate for her community’s U.S. province from 2011 until the time of her death.

Sister Maureen is survived by her sister, Mary Eileen Wudtke, and her brother, Edward Durkin.

Divine Word  Father Gerald Theis, 92, who served in remote areas of Papua New Guinea, died March 10 in Techny.

Born in Aurora, Father Theis entered the Divine Word Seminary in East Troy, Wisconsin, in 1946 and professed vows in 1952. In addition to his theology degrees, he earned a master’s degree in education from the Catholic University of America.

Father Theis was ordained to the priesthood in 1960 and left for the Archdiocese of Mount Hagen in Papua New Guinea in 1961. For the first eight years of his priesthood, he worked in a remote mountain area with people who had never seen a European or a trader. To visit the 53 mission stations and 20,000 people in his care, he walked thousands of miles.

In 1969, Father Theis was appointed education secretary and archdiocesan supervisor of schools. He also served as chairman of the Governing Council of Holy Trinity Teachers College in Mount Hagen, and later became vicar general of the archdiocese.

He moved to Techny in 2013, and assisted at weekend Masses at St. Nicholas Parish, Evanston, and other area parishes.

“He was a model missionary and model priest — hardworking, dedicated to people, prayerful and faithful in all that he did,” said Divine Word Father Joseph Bisson, a seminary classmate and fellow missionary in the Highlands of Papua New Guinea.

Father Richard J. Lo Bianco, 70, died Feb. 23. He was a retired priest of the Archdiocese of Chicago and former pastor of Holy Cross Parish in Deerfield.

Born in Chicago, Father Lo Bianco attended 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.

He served as associate pastor of St. Denis, St. Walter Parish and St. Germaine Parish, Oak Lawn. He then served as pastor of St. Gerald, before becoming associate pastor of St. Alexander, Palos Heights, and Our Lady Mother of the Church, Willow Springs.

Father Lo Bianco became pastor of Divine Savior, Norridge, in 2009, and then pastor of Holy Cross in 2021. He retired in 2024.

Father Gregory Sakowicz, one of Lo Bianco’s classmates, recalled his friend’s zest for life, how he “had a love for life and was very passionate about what he did and what he believed.”

Deacon Edward Patrick DeLorenzo, 84, died Feb. 21. He was ordained in 1975 and ministered at St. Edmund Parish, Oak Park, and Divine Providence Parish, Westchester.

He taught for 10 years at St. Patrick High School, and as a deacon, presided at many family and friends’ baptisms, weddings and funeral services.

School Sister of St. Francis Gloria Fews, 94, died Jan. 9 at Our Lady of the Angels Convent in Greenfield, Wisconsin.

Born in Aurora, she was received into the community in 1951, made her first vows in 1953 and made her final vows in 1955.

Beginning in 1953, Sister Gloria ministered in Illinois, Colorado, Tennessee and Wisconsin. In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at Holy Angels School from 1953 to 1970.

In retirement, Sister Gloria ministered through prayer and presence at Sacred Heart in Milwaukee from 2016 to 2018, and at Our Lady of Angels from 2018 until her death. 

Sister Gloria is survived by her sisters, Diana Burbridge and Charlotte Pointer.