Divine Word Father Khien (John) Mai Luu, 63, pastor of Resurrection of Our Lord in St. Louis, died in his sleep on May 26.

Father Khien, who devoted his priesthood to working in formation and pastoral ministries, was a missionary in Australia, Vietnam and the United States. He studied at Catholic Theological Union from 1987 until he was ordained in Techny in 1992.

“He was a kind and gentle person who always tried to bring peace and harmony to other people,” said Divine Word Father Quang Duc Dinh, provincial superior of the Chicago Province.

Born in Vietnam, he entered the seminary as a youth in 1969 and earned a certificate in philosophy from Pope John XXIII Seminary in My Tho, Vietnam, in 1979. His seminary studies were interrupted the following year when he left Vietnam, lived in a Thai refugee camp and finally settled in San Jose, California.

Shortly after arriving in the United States, he earned certificates in electronic assembly and electronic technology. In 1982, he enrolled in Divine Word College in Epworth, Iowa, where he continued his seminary training.

Providence Sister Elizabeth (Joseph Aloyse) Meyer, 90, died on June 1 in St. Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana.

Born in Indiana, she entered the Sisters of Providence in 1950 and professed final vows in 1957. 

She was a teacher and school librarian in Indianan and Illinois. In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she served at St. Genevieve (1958-1964).

Deacon James Eugene Carroll, 88, died May 7. He was ordained in 2002 and served at Holy Cross, Deerfield, before moving to Iowa, where he ministered at the Church of the Nativity in Dubuque.

Deacon Carroll grew up in Philadelphia and attended Villanova University. He served in the U.S. Army from 1956 to 1958, then began a career in sales with Chesebrough Ponds, which eventually brought him to Chicago.

He married the late Janis Lee Opperman in 1961 and they raised four children together. After retiring, he was ordained a deacon and ministered to people with addiction, who were imprisoned and who had fallen away from the church.

He is survived by his children Jim Carroll, Joe Carroll, Mary Ellen Carroll and Shannon Krause; 11 grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; and his brother, Charlie Carroll.

Deacon Joseph Truesdale, 78, died May 18. He was ordained in 2003 and served at St. George Parish, Tinley Park.

A U.S. Army veteran, Deacon Truesdale is survived by his wife, Mary; three children; eight grandchildren; and siblings Marion McGrane, Arthur Truesdale; Dorie Compton; Ernest Truesdale, Bill Truesdale and George Truesdale.

Sister of Notre Dame de Namur Mary (Margaret Michele) Motz, 89, died Jan. 18 in Cincinnati.

Born in Cincinnati, Sister Mary taught for 10 years in parish schools before attending a Montessori training course in 1962. During her 47-year Montessori career, she served as administrator of Montessori schools, developed and directed Montessori teacher training programs and started new Montessori programs.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she was a coordinator and teacher at the Midwest Teacher Training Center in Evanston (1967-2010) while also working at other Midwestern schools.