Father Steven W. Patte, 79, died Sept. 20. He was a retired priest of the Archdiocese of Chicago and former pastor of St. Ita Parish.

Born in Chicago, Father Patte attended Quigley Preparatory Seminary and the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary before being ordained in 1969.

After ordination, Father Patte was assistant pastor of Holy Name Cathedral, St. Joseph, Wilmette; and Church of the Holy Spirit, Schaumburg.

He also served as associate pastor of St. Zachary, Des Plaines; St. Joseph, Round Lake; St. Mary of Vernon, Indian Creek; and St. Emily, Mount Prospect. He was pastor of St. Helena of the Cross and St. Ita Parish. In addition, he was a professor at St. Mary of the Lake University for two years.

He retired from ministry in 2015.

Father Leon J. Rezula, pastor emeritus of St. Julian Eymard in Elk Grove Village, was a classmate of Father Patte. “He was a very hard-working, zealous priest with a variety of experience,” Rezula said.

Deacon John “Jack” L. Malone, 89, died Sept. 4. He was ordained in 1987 and served at St. Germaine Parish, Oak Lawn.

He also served as a chaplain at Cook County Jail and Little Company of Mary Hospital for many years.

He is survived by his wife of 68 years, Mary; his children Jack Malone, Kathy Walsh, Ruth Turner, Michael Malone, Sheila Brew and Dan Malone; 17 grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.

Felician Sister Mary Odelle (Veronica) Siskoski, 92, died Aug 17, at Swedish/North Shore Hospital.

Born in Michigan, she attended elementary school there. When her family moved to Chicago, she attended Parker School and St. Joseph High School. She entered the Felician Sisters in 1950 and professed her final vows in 1958. She ministered in elementary schools as a teacher and principal in Illinois, Wisconsin and Brazil for over 30 years. Later, she also ministered in supportive services at Felician Senior Living Community in Manitowoc, Wisconsin, for 22 years.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she ministered at St. Helen (1952-1953, 1990-1994); St. Turibius (1955-1957); Sts. Peter and Paul (1957-1959, 1986-1987); St. Hedwig, Niles (1959-1960); St. Isidore, Blue Island (1960-1961); Holy Innocents (1962-1964); St. John of God (1964-1965); and St. Linus, Oak Lawn (1972-1973).

Sr. Larina Williams

School Sister of St. Francis Larina Williams, 87, died Aug. 17 at West Allis Memorial Hospital in Wisconsin.

Born in Chicago, Sister Larina was received into the School Sisters of St. Francis in 1956, made her first profession of vows in 1958 and her final vows in 1964. 

Beginning in 1958, Sister Larina ministered in the Archdiocese of Chicago for more than half a century. She taught at Holy Angels School in her home parish (1958-1960, 1964-1972 and 1985-2000) and was assistant principal there (2000-2006). She also taught at St. Martin (1960-1962) and St. Clara (1962-1964), taught and was assistant principal at St. Kilian (1972-1984) and taught at Ascension/St. Susanna School in Harvey (1984-1985).

In her retirement, Sister Larina resided in a local convent in Homer Glen (2007-2013) and in Milwaukee.

Sister Larina is survived by her brothers Herbert and Michael and sisters Latoski McCarty and Monica Waters.

Viatorian Father Richard J. Pighini, 79, died Aug. 21 at Addolorata Villa in Wheeling.

A Viatorian for 43 years, Father Richard made his first vows in 1980 and was ordained a priest in 1985.

He attended Maine East High School in Park Ridge before earning a bachelor’s degree in communication design from University of Illinois and a Master of Divinity from Catholic Theological Union. He served in the Peace Corps in Hawaii (1967-1969), taught at Illinois high schools before being ordained and ministered in parishes in Kankakee and Bourbonnais after ordination.

He moved to the retirement community at the Viatorian Province Center in Arlington Heights in 2022. He was always known for his care for the liturgy, as well as the beauty of the gardens and landscapes of the parish grounds.

Father Richard is survived by his sisters, Carlotta Polenzani and Claudette Schmied of Naperville.

Father Michael G. Scherschel, 59, died Aug. 10. He was pastor of the recently united Sts. Matthew and Hubert Parish in Hoffman Estates.

Born in Chicago, Father Scherschel attended Cary-Grove Community High School in Cary; the University of Dayton in Dayton, Ohio; and the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary.

Father Scherschel was ordained to the priesthood at the age of 43 in 2007. After ordination, Father Scherschel was associate pastor of St. William Parish (2007-2011). He then served as the associate vocation director for Vicariate IV of the Archdiocese of Chicago. He also served on the formation faculty at St. Joseph College Seminary (2011-2017).

Father Scherschel became pastor of St. Hubert Parish in 2017 and most recently led the formation of Sts. Matthew and Hubert Parish, unifying the two community parishes as one.

Father Robert Rizzo met Father Scherschel when he succeeded him as pastor at St. Hubert Parish. “I was totally delighted when he was named pastor because he is truly a kind, gentle and super authentic person,” Rizzo said. “He truly lived his faith day in and day out.”

Deacon Thomas M. Paluch, 77, died Aug. 17. He was ordained in 1997 and served at St. John Brebeuf Parish, Niles, in the Archdiocese of Chicago and Holy Family Parish, Shorewood, in the Diocese of Joliet.

His wife, Julianne Paluch, predeceased him.

He is survived by his children, Maggie Malinowski and Becky Paluch, and three grandchildren, as well as eight siblings.

Adrian Dominican Sister Joan (Margaret Patrick) Murphy, 97, died July 28 in Adrian, Michigan.

Born in Michigan, she was in the 77th year of her religious life.

Sister Joan ministered in elementary and secondary education, pastoral ministry and religious education and volunteered in health care in Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, Georgia, Colorado, California, Alabama and Kentucky, and volunteered in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at St. Nicholas of Tolentine (1946-1950); St. Rita of Cascia (1950-1951); Santa Maria Del Popolo, Mundelein (1959-1962); Infant Jesus of Prague, Flossmoor (1962-1963); and St. Philip Neri (1963-1964).

Adrian Dominican Sister Mary Kathryn (Helen Maureen) Cliatt, 88, died July 30, in Adrian, Michigan.

Born in Miami, she was in the 66th year of her religious life.

Sister Mary Kathryn ministered in elementary and secondary education, pastoral ministry, social work and retreat ministry in Illinois, Florida and Georgia, and ministered as a mentor and spiritual advisor to orphans in Kenya.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at Queen of Angels School.

She is survived by a sister, Martha Lim.

Adrian Dominican Sister Marilyn (Marilyn Loretto) Uline, 86, died July 31 in Adrian, Michigan.

Born in Ohio, she was in the 67th year of her religious life.

Sister Marilyn ministered in elementary and secondary education, campus ministry, pastoral ministry, adult education, advocacy, clerical work and business.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she was a social justice advocate at the Eighth Day Center (1975-1980); worked with the Divine Word Theologate as a secretary and in research (1981-1983); taught at St. Mary of Perpetual Help High School (1983-1984) and was a registered representative of First Investors Corp. (1985-1999).

Sister Marilyn is survived by sisters Lois Nugent, Margaret Boyce, Joanne Schutz and Carol Uline and a brother, Franciscan Father Cyprian Uline.