BVM Sister Mary Ellen Caldwell, 97, died Aug. 22 in Dubuque, Iowa.

She was born in Milwaukee. She entered the BVM congregation in 1938 and professed final vows in 1946.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, Sister Mary Ellen taught at St. Vincent School. She also ministered in Kansas, Iowa and Ghana.

She is survived by her sister, Helen Smith, and her brothers Jesuit Father Thomas Caldwell and Joseph Kerwin Caldwell.

BVM Sister Mary Terese (Lumina) Rink, 88, died Aug. 13 in Dubuque, Iowa. 

Born in Iowa, she entered the BVM congregation in 1951 and professed final vows in 1959.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, Sister Mary Terese taught secondary school at Immaculata High School, and Delano, Froebel and Dunbar high schools. At the University of Illinois Medical Center, she served in clerical work, as coordinator for the Disabled Children’s Program and as a case manager. She also served in Tennessee and Iowa.

She is survived by her sisters Margery Petrzelka, Helen Mangrum and Katie Cahalan.

Holy Family of Nazareth Sister M. Blanche (Stephanie) Zalewski, 92, died July 27 at Nazarethville in Des Plaines.

Born in Chicago, she was baptized at Holy Trinity Church. She entered the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth in 1943 and became a novice that same year. Following her first profession of vows in 1945, Sister Blanche began teaching at St. Hedwig School. 

She professed her perpetual vows in 1951. For 43 years, Sister Blanche taught in the Chicago area; in Marayong, Australia; and later in Texas and North Dakota.

From 1988 until 2009, she ministered in pastoral care at St. Mary of Nazareth Hospital in Chicago.

Deacon Herbert F. Drazba, 83, of Dolton, died Aug. 27. He was ordained in 1975 and served at St. Jude the Apostle Parish in South Holland.

He was a U.S. Army veteran, scoutmaster of Boy Scout Troop 706 and a Fourth Degree member of the Knights of Columbus Genoa Council.

He was married to his late wife, Dorothy, for 57 years.

He is survived by his children Michael, Thomas and Therese Drazba; his grandchildren Christopher, Scott, Dawn, Samantha and Rebecca Drazba and Walter Smith; one great-grandchild; his brother, Walter Drazba; and his sister, Dominican Sister Eunice Drazba.

BVM Sister Mary C. (Clemento) McGovern, 97, died Aug. 15 in Dubuque, Iowa.

Born in Iowa, she entered the BVM congregation in 1937 and professed final vows in 1945.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, Sister Mary taught music at St. Gilbert, Grayslake; St. Eulalia, Maywood; and St. Jerome. She also ministered in Wyoming and Iowa.

Resurrection Sister Rita Mary Ganser, 75, died July 26 at Resurrection Life Center. 

Born in Chicago, she was baptized at Annunciation Parish. She was received into the Congregation of the Sisters of the Resurrection in 1955 and pronounced her final vows in 1964.

Sister Rita Mary taught for 26 years at St. Mary of the Angels, St. Casimir and St. Thecla. She also taught at St. Bede, Ingleside, as well as in Florida and Alabama.

Sister Rita Mary served as the director of religious education at St. Mary of the Angels Parish (1986-1991). In 1995, Sister Rita Mary started a career in pastoral care in health care, serving at Resurrection Nursing and Rehabilitation Center for 16 years. More recently, she volunteered there, coordinating and scheduling the ministers of care and other volunteers.

She is survived by a brother, William.

Deacon James Francis Gallagher, 93, died Aug. 6. He was ordained in 1992 and served at St. James Parish, Highwood.

He was born in Highland Park, where he met and was married to his wife, Dorothy, for 69 years. 

He was a World War II veteran, having served as a sergeant in the Air Force 71st Bombardment Squadron – Wolf Pack.

He is survived by his children Jamie, Cindy and Michael Gallagher; his grandchildren Michael and Mark Gallagher and his great-grandchild Jules.

Father Daniel Sullivan, 91, died Aug. 16 at Holy Family Villa in Palos Park. He had been pastor at St. Gerard Majella Parish, Markham, until his retirement in 1996. 

A Chicago native, Father Sullivan attended Resurrection School, Quigley Preparatory Seminary and the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary before being ordained in 1953. 

He was assistant pastor of Mary Queen of Heaven Parish, Cicero (1953-1960); assistant pastor of St. Eulalia Parish, Maywood (1960-1965); assistant pastor of St. Sabina Parish (1965-1971); and assistant pastor of St. Agnes Parish, Chicago Heights (1971-1977).

In 1977, Father Sullivan was named pastor of St. Gerard Majella Parish, Markham, and served in that role until retiring in 1996.

Father John Edward Tilford, 76, died Aug. 14, at Palos Community Hospital in Palos Heights. He had been associate pastor at St. Michael the Archangel Parish until he retired in 2014.

Born in Chicago, he attended St. Laurence School, Quigley Preparatory Seminary North and the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary before being ordained in 1966. 

He later earned a master’s degree in social work from Loyola University Chicago.

He served as assistant pastor of St. Thomas of Canterbury (1966-1971) and assistant pastor of St. Maria Goretti, Schiller Park (1974-1978), before being named and pastor of St. Bridget (1981-1990). In 1990, Father Tilford was named pastor of St. Michael the Archangel and served in that role until stepping down to associate pastor in 2004 and retiring in 2014.

In addition to serving Catholics in parishes around the archdiocese, Father Tilford was the area chaplain for Catholic Scouts in 1968, an assistant administrator at Angel Guardian Orphanage (1971-1974) and an assistant executive director at Maryville Academy (1978-1981). Father Tilford was known for his work with underprivileged youth and young adults, especially within Hispanic communities.

Father Tilford is survived by his sister, Mary Boettcher.

Sister of St. Casimir Georgine Cizauskas, 90, died Aug. 1.

Born in New Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Sister Georgine entered the Sisters of St. Casimir in 1944. She made her first profession of vows in 1947, and made her final vows in 1952.

She taught in elementary and high schools in Illinois, Pennsylvania, New Mexico and Rhode Island. In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she served as a teacher at Nativity BVM, Marquette Park (1952-1953); St. Bartholomew School, Waukegan (1960-1963), and Maria High School (1963-2005). After she retired, she took on volunteer roles in the school.

Most recently Sister Georgine participated in the ministry of prayer (2011-2017) at the motherhouse of the Sisters of St. Casimir and then at Franciscan Village, Lemont.

Sister of Notre Dame de Namur Joanne (Mary Gregory) Seiser, 89, died July 28 in Cincinnati.

Born in Indiana, Sister Joanne entered the community in 1948 and made her final vows in 1953. She taught in elementary and secondary schools in Ohio and Illinois.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she ministered at Notre Dame High School (1967-1968), in campus ministry at the University of Illinois at Chicago (1968-1979) and as part of the Lay Ministry Training Program (1979-1985).

She is survived by her sister, Mary Ellen Pfeiffer.

Providence Sister Eileen (Mary Jane) Clare Goetzen, 94, died July 26 in St. Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana.

Born in Chicago, she entered the Sisters of Providence from St. Genevieve Parish in 1941 and professed final vows in 1949.

She was an elementary and high school teacher and on the clerical staff at Mother Theodore Guerin High School, River Grove.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she ministered at St. Columbkille (1955-1957); Providence High School (1966-1969); Our Lady of Sorrows (1969-1983); and Mother Theodore Guerin High School, River Grove (1983-2005).

Conventual Franciscan Father John Peter Grigus, 65, died July 21 at the Felician Sisters convent in Chicago. He was rector of the St. Maximilian Kolbe Shrine at Marytown in Libertyville.

Born in Poland, he received his masters of Divinity at Catholic Theological Union. He professed his first vows in 1985, was ordained a priest in 1989 and made his solemn vows in 2000.

For the past 20 years, he led numerous religious retreats and authored many video presentations and broadcasts.

Sinsinawa Dominican Sister Lynn (Tomaso) Welsh, 81, died July 18 in Fort Myers, Florida.

Born in Chicago, Sister Lynn made her first religious profession in 1955 and her final profession in 1958. She was a teacher, principal, religious education coordinator and director, reading specialist, congregation leader and did parish and community volunteer. She served in Minnesota, Illinois, Iowa, New York, Wisconsin, Idaho, Michigan and Florida.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, Sister Lynn taught at St. Vincent Ferrer, River Forest (1958-1961), and served as principal at Immaculate Conception (1973-1980); St. Luke, River Forest (1980-1983); and Most Holy Redeemer, Evergreen Park (1993-2001). She ministered in family care in Chicago (1985-1986) and served the Sinsinawa Dominican congregation as provincial councilor (1988-1992) and as a staff member of the development office (1992-1993).

She is survived by two sisters, Kathleen Terrien and Dominican Sister Janet Welsh, and a brother, Thomas J. Welsh III.

Sister of Charity of Cincinnati Agnes Ann (Agnes Marie) Gardt, 89, died July 16 in Ohio.

She was born in Minneapolis and had been a Sister of Charity of Cincinnati for 68 years, entering the congregation after meeting members in Denver, where she worked after high school.

She taught for 20 years, including assignments at St. Sebastian (1954-1956) and Holy Ghost, South Holland (1966-1968).

She then offered pastoral care in hospitals, ministered in parishes and served as a missionary in the West Indies.

Providence Sister Mary Imelda (Mary Elizabeth) Coulup, 98, died July 12 in St. Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana.

Born in Indiana, she entered the Sisters of Providence in 1939 and made final vows in 1947. She taught for 53 years in Indiana, Illinois and Maryland, then served as a driver and clerical assistant at the motherhouse.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at St. Mark (1941-1945), and St. Genevieve (1951, 1952-1953).

She is survived by a sister, Catherine Zeigler, and a brother, John Coulup.

Deacon Joseph Brady, 85, died July 24. He was ordained in 1977 and served at St. Christopher, Midlothian.

He served in the U.S. Army and was a veteran of the Korean War, and he retired from Allstate Insurance after more than 40 years.

He is survived by his wife, Ruth; his children Beth Edwards, Margaret Sheetz and Joseph Brady; his grandchildren Jacob Little; Rebecca Mathews; Kristin Mitchell; and Anna, Clare and Grace Sheetz; and seven great-grandchildren.

Father Charles Kouba, 93, died July 13 at Presence St. Benedict Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, Niles. He was pastor emeritus of Sts. Cyril and Methodius Parish, Lemont.

Born in Chicago, he attended Our Lady of Good Counsel School, Sacred Heart High School, Quigley Preparatory Seminary and the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary before being ordained in 1951.

He was assistant pastor of Mary Queen of Heaven, Cicero (1951-1953); Our Lady of the Mount, Cicero (1953-1960); Our Lady of Good Counsel (1960-1962); St. Agnes of Bohemia (1962-1969); and St. Agnes, Chicago Heights (1969-1971). He was pastor of Sts. Cyril and Methodius (1971-1990) and then associate pastor of St. Joseph (1990-1993).

He was named pastor emeritus of Sts. Cyril and Methodius when he retired in 1993.

He had resided at Presence St. Benedict for 14 years.

Franciscan Sister of Chicago Leona (Mary Hedwinella) Watroba, 104, died July 6.
Born in Hammond, Indiana, and educated by the Franciscan Sisters of Chicago, she entered the order in 1934, made first vows in 1942 and final vows in 1944.
She served as a sacristan and seamstress in Chicago; Johnstown, Pennsylvania; and Boys Town, Nebraska. She became an X-ray technician and served for 21 years in South Dakota.
In 1972, she returned to Chicago and served as a Medicare and Medicaid clerk, assistant administrator, receptionist and local minister at St. Joseph Home. In 1983, Sister Leona went to the motherhouse in Lemont, where she served as director of housekeeping for three years and local treasurer for 11 years. She retired to the infirmary in 1999.

Sinsinawa Dominican Sister Marie Bertrand Wright, 94, died July 5 in Sinsinawa, Wisconsin.
Born in St. Louis, she made her first religious profession in 1947 and her final profession in 1950. She taught, was a principal and did pastoral ministry in South Dakota, Alabama, Iowa, Illinois, Wisconsin and Alaska.
In the Archdiocese of Chicago, Sister Marie Bertrand taught at St. Thomas the Apostle, Chicago, 1969-1974.
She is survived by a sister, Grace Mayer, and her twin brother, Joseph Wright.