Father Martin E. Bedoya, 81, died Sept. 25. He was the former associate pastor of St. Mary Parish, Des Plaines.

Born in Colombia, he began studies in the Seminary of Yarumal, graduating with the Friars of Rafael de la Serna.

After arriving in the United States, he earned a bachelor’s degree at Chicago State University and a master’s degree in human service administration from Spertus College. He then began a career in Catholic hospitals, becoming chief cardiovascular technologist and director of cardiology and neurology at Columbus Hospital before working as a public service administrator for the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services.

He became an active parishioner at St. Mary and was encouraged to speak to Cardinal Francis George, who encouraged him to study for the priesthood.

Father Bedoya attended Pope St. John XXIII Seminary in Weston, Massachusetts, which specializes in forming men who discern their priestly vocations later in life. He was ordained in 2003.

Father Bedoya served as associate pastor at St. John the Evangelist, Streamwood, until 2005 and St. Mary until 2013, when he retired.

“He wasn’t ordained until he was 63, but he had a vocation his whole life,” said Father Lawrence Collins, pastor of St. Mary. Father Bedoya and Collins worked together at St. Mary Parish for three years, cherishing their friendship even after Bedoya retired. He would always help those in need, whether clothing and toys for children or food for families, according to Collins.

Father John J. (Jerry) Bresnahan, 86, died Sept. 26. He was pastor emeritus of the former St. Beatrice Parish, Schiller Park.

Father Bresnahan was born in Chicago and attended St. Ailbe School, Quigley Preparatory Seminary and the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary before being ordained in 1960.

Father Jerry, as he was known by his parishioners, was assistant pastor of St. Joseph, Homewood; St. Andrew (Addison Street); St. Germaine, Oak Lawn; and St. Joseph, Libertyville. He was a U.S. Army chaplain for five years before serving as associate pastor of St. Mary of the Woods and as pastor at St. Beatrice Parish for 22 years. He was named pastor emeritus in 2005.

“Father Jerry was well loved and respected by the people he served,” said Father Robert Schultz, pastor of Holy Virgin Martyrs Parish in Schiller Park. “His influence on St. Beatrice Parish was felt for years after his retirement. He was known for being soft-spoken, a gentle soul and a true gentleman.”

Deacon Richard M. Willer, 85, died Sept. 14. He was ordained in 1997 and served at St. Thomas of Villanova, Palatine.

Deacon Willer was also a U.S. Army veteran.

He is survived by his wife of almost 62 years, Mary; his children Christine Hofmann, Charlene Gauer, Carol Nash and Colleen Lee; 10 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren; and his sister, Barbara Castronovo.

Providence Sister Laurine (Dorothy Catherine) Haley, 93, died Sept. 6 in St. Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana. Born in Massachusetts, she entered the Sisters of Providence in 1945 and professed final vows in 1953.

She ministered for 45 years in schools in Indiana, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Maryland and Washington, D.C., and then ministered to the elderly.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she served at St. Columbkille Day Nursery and St. Genevieve School.

Viatorian Father Michael P. Keliher, 74, died Sept. 10 at the Viatorian Province Center in Arlington Heights. 

Born in Kankakee, he made his first profession in 1966 and was ordained in 1976.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in biology and pre-medicine in 1970 from Loyola University Chicago and a master’s degree in divinity from Catholic Theological Union.

Father Keliher taught biology and coached both wrestling and golf at St. Viator High School (1970-1972, 1976-1985) and was a parish priest in Illinois and in Las Vegas, including at St. Viator Parish in Chicago.

He moved to the Viatorian Province Center residence when he retired in July 2019.

Dominican Father John Louis (Mannes) Gambro, 91, died Sept. 19 at Resurrection Life Center.

Born in Chicago, he attended St. Thomas Aquinas School, St. Mel High School and Loras Collage in Dubuque, Iowa, before entering the Dominican order at age 20.

He finished his bachelor’s degree and earned a master’s degree at the Dominican House of Studies in River Forest and earned another master’s degree in classical languages at Loyola University Chicago.

He was ordained in 1957 and embarked on a 45-year ministry as a high school Latin teacher at Fenwick High School, Oak Park (1957-1963, 1978-2002) and in Texas. He retired in the Chicago area, living at St. Thomas Aquinas Priory, River Forest, and St. Pius V Priory before moving finally to Resurrection Village Life Center.

He is survived by his brother, Francis James Gambro.

Jesuit Father John J. Foley, 96, died Aug. 2 in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin.

Father Foley was born in New Jersey and grew up in Oak Park, where he attended Fenwick High School. He graduated in 1944 and joined the U.S. Marine Corps, seeing action at Okinawa in the last battle of World War II.

He taught at Loyola Academy, Wilmette (1953-1956); the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary (1963-1967) and St. Ignatius College Prep (1969-1970). He returned to Loyola Academy as director of development (1970-1973, 1975-1976), religion teacher (1970-1975) and director of parent activities (1975-1981).

After a sabbatical, he ministered as assistant director (1982-1983) and director (1983-1987) of Bellarmine Jesuit Retreat House in Barrington, Illinois, where he was the assistant director (1982-1983), while serving as superior of the Bellarmine Jesuit community. He then was a chaplain to dental students at Loyola University Medical Center and also served as the superior of the Loyola University Medical Center Jesuit Community (1987-1993).

He became minister of the Gonzaga House Jesuit Community (1993-1996) as well as serving as acting president (1994-1995) and special assistant to the president of Loyola Academy (1996-1998, 2000-2013). He also served as chaplain of the Loyola Academy football team.

He became pastor of St. Ignatius Church in Chicago (1998-2000), and focused on pastoral ministry after leaving Loyola Academy (2013-2019). He celebrated weekend Masses at St. Joseph, Wilmette, for many years.

School Sister of St. Francis Laureen Haben, 95, died Aug. 28 at Our Lady of the Angels Convent in Greenfield, Wisconsin.

Born in Evanston, Sister Laureen was received into the School Sisters of St. Francis in 1944 and made her final vows in 1952.

Beginning in 1947, Sister Laureen ministered in Illinois, New York and Wisconsin for more than seven decades. In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at St. Mary, Buffalo Grove (1964-1966), and at Immaculate Conception (1966-1973).

Sister Laureen is survived by a sister, Joyce Burke.

Religious Hospitaller of St. Joseph Sister Margaret Wright, 85, died Sept. 4.

Born in Chicago, she made religious vows in 1959 and dedicated her life to the care of the sick.

She retired in 2013 from her position as president of St. George Corporation and chief executive officer of Palos Community Hospital, where she had served since 1978.

Father John A. Farry, 82, died Aug. 12. He was pastor emeritus of St. Andrew (Addison Street).

Born in New York, Father Farry was educated in the Archdiocese of Chicago. He attended St. Sabina, Quigley Preparatory Seminary and the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary before being ordained in 1965.

He was assistant pastor of Our Lady of Solace and associate pastor of St. Bernard (now known as St. Benedict the African) and Holy Name Cathedral. He was pastor of St. Thomas the Apostle and St. Andrew, where the title of pastor emeritus was bestowed on him in 2009.

Father Farry was also member of the Presbyteral Senate, College of Consultors and served as coordinator of the Englewood Catholic Community.

Sinsinawa Dominican Sister Donna (Caitriona) Quinn, 81, died July 30 in Hazel Green, Wisconsin.

Born in Chicago, Sister Donna made her first religious profession in 1957 and her perpetual profession in 1960.

She ministered in education as a teacher, administrator, public relations and development staff member, admissions director and tutor, and she was a strong advocate for justice and equal rights, especially for women. Her ministries took her to Nebraska, Illinois, Wisconsin and Minnesota.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, Sister Donna served as public relations and development staff member at St. Thomas the Apostle High School (1974-1975) and was admissions director at Midwest Training Association at MISTA Business College (1982-1985). She taught at Roosevelt University (1975-1976), Moraine Valley College (1976-1978) and Chicago Public Schools (2000-2001) and tutored in the Palos Hills area (2002-2004).

Sister Donna was a founding member of Chicago Catholic Women, serving as the director from 1985 to 2001. She worked at 8th Day Center for Peace and Justice (1978-1982); served as coordinator of National Coalition of American Nuns (2004-2007, 2008-2010) and executive director of Institute of Women Today (2007-2008), and she worked with National Advocacy for Women, Palos Hills (2010-2017).

Sinsinawa Dominican Sister Rosemary “Robi” (Tobia) Huddleston, 80, died July 31 in Hazel Green, Wisconsin.

Born in Chicago, she made her first religious profession in 1960 and her perpetual profession in 1965.

She taught for nine years before going to Santa Cruz, Bolivia, as a missionary for 13 years. She then served as a parish consultant, provincial councilor, international mission coordinator and interpreter.

Sister Robi served in the District of Columbia, Illinois and Wisconsin, as well as Bolivia.

She is survived by three sisters: Eleanor Zoeller, Dolores “Dee” O’Malley and Arlene Sushinski.

Sister Kathleen “Kay” (Edward Marie) Kelly, 89, died Aug. 17 in St. Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana.

Born in Chicago, she attended Resurrection School and Providence High School.

Sister Kay entered the Sisters of Providence in 1951 and professed final vows in 1958. In her 70 years as a Sister of Providence, she taught for 30 years in schools in Indiana, Illinois and California. In 1981, Sister Kay moved into parish work, serving in parishes in Indiana and the Chicago area for the next 24 years.

Formally retiring in 2006, she remained in the Chicago area where she volunteered as a parish visitor, as well as offering spiritual direction and participating in a prison retreat ministry. In 2012, she returned to the motherhouse.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at St. David (1957-1958), St. Andrew (1965-1969) and Mother Theodore Guerin High School, River Grove (1969-1982). She was a pastoral associate at Queen of Apostles Parish, Riverdale (1982-1992); and a minister of care (2002-2006) and volunteer (2008-2011) at St. Thomas of Villanova, Palatine.

Adrian Dominican Sister Helen Therese Mayer, 86, died Aug. 18 in Adrian, Michigan.

Born in Detroit, she was in the 66th year of her religious profession.

She ministered in elementary and secondary education in Ohio, Illinois and Michigan and served as the administrative assistant for the Dominican Midwest Mission Chapter.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at Regina Dominican High School, Wilmette (1963-1966); Aquinas High School (1966-1967, 1970-1973); Mother McAuley High School (1987-1995); and Queen of Peace High School, Burbank (1995-1997). She served as an administrative or office assistant at Queen of Peace High School (1997-2006) and the Dominican Midwest Chapter Office, Burbank (2006-2009).

Adrian Dominican Sister Anne Elizabeth (Margaret George) Monahan, 86, died Aug. 20 in Adrian, Michigan.

Born in Massachusetts, she was in the 71st year of her religious life.

Sister Anne Elizabeth ministered in education in Illinois, Michigan and Florida. In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at St. Philip Neri.

She is survived by two sisters: Mary Wiggs and Faye Monahan.

Adrian Dominican Sister Mary (Clare Patrick) Nugent, 92, died Aug. 2 in Adrian, Michigan.

She was in the 69th year of her religious life. Born in Chicago, she went to high school in England before entering the congregation.

Sister Mary served in education and in secretarial work in Michigan, Ohio, Illinois and Florida.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she was a teacher (1966-1969), academic adviser (1982-1986) and facility director (1986-1988) at Regina Dominican High School, Wilmette; an office worker at Education & Intervention (1988-1991); an emergency claims worker at GAB Business Services Inc., Westchester (1991-1992); administrative assistant at the British Home, Brookfield (1992-1993); secretary to the president at Fenwick High School, Oak Park (1993-1998); and parish secretary at St. Mary, Riverside (2000-2004).

She is survived by a sister, Clare Halpin.

Deacon Thomas Joseph O’Connell, 88, died at his home in Crest Hill on Aug. 10. He was ordained in 1978 and served at St. Walter Parish before moving to the Diocese of Joliet, where he served at St. Mary Immaculate Parish.

Born in Chicago, he attended St. Columbanus School and Leo High School. He attended Loyola University Chicago before enlisting in the U.S. Army. He joined the Chicago Fire Department in 1958, where he rose to the rank of lieutenant in the Fire Prevention Bureau. He was known nationally for his efforts in public education, his “Learn Not to Burn” programs for young children and the establishment of the Illinois Burn Camp for children scarred by fire injuries.

He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Margaret; his children Thomas O’Connell Jr., Peggy DesPain, Timothy O’Connell and Kathleen O’Grady; 10 grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; and brothers Jack and Ted (Debbie) O’Connell.

Father William J. McNulty, 87, died Aug. 11. He was pastor emeritus of St. Patrick Parish, Lake Forest.

Father McNulty was born in Chicago and attended St. Angela, Quigley Preparatory Seminary and the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary before being ordained in 1961.

He was assistant pastor of St. Justin Martyr; St. Martha, Morton Grove; and Queen of All Saints Basilica Parish. He served as chaplain to Catholic Action Federations and was director of the archdiocesan Office for Marriage and Family Life and the Pastoral Services Department. Father McNulty served as associate pastor of St. Mary, Evanston, and pastor of St. Patrick Parish. The title of pastor emeritus was bestowed on him in 2004.

Father Larry Hennessey, who has spent the last 30 years at the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary, would share coffee cake and coffee every Sunday with McNulty.

“He was very unpretentious,” Hennessey said. “There was a real humility about him, that he readily acknowledged. He loved to learn new things.”

Redemptorist Father Anthony Judge, 68, died Aug. 5 in Minneapolis.

Born in St. Louis, he professed perpetual vows as a Redemptorist in 1973 and was ordained a priest in 1979.

He was sent to the Amazon region of Brazil, where he served from 1980 to 1990.

When he returned to the United States, Father Tony learned Spanish so that he could provide pastoral care to Hispanics and newly arrived immigrants in the language in which they speak to God. He served in parishes in Colorado, then ministered as an itinerant mission preacher and coordinated and led Hispanic ministries in California and Kansas.

Father Tony joined the Redemptorist Mission Team in Chicago as a missionary preacher in 2008, and was appointed director of the Mission Team in 2011. Four years later, he was assigned associate pastor of St. Alphonsus Parish in Minneapolis, where he was serving at the time of his death.

Sister of St. Joseph Lucia Marie Gibbons, 94, died Aug. 6.

She had been a member of the Congregation of St. Joseph for 73 years. Over her long career, Sister Lucia taught elementary school at Our Lady of Bethlehem and St. Joseph Academy in LaGrange Park; St. Francis Xavier, LaGrange; Mount Carmel, Chicago Heights; St. John Fisher; and in Mississippi.

She taught secondary school at Nazareth Academy, LaGrange Park, and St. Paul High School. She also served as pastoral associate at St. Hubert, Hoffman Estates.

Father Donald J. Headley, 89, died July 16. He was pastor emeritus of Our Lady of Mercy Parish.

Born in Chicago, he attended Quigley Preparatory Seminary and the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary before being ordained in 1958.

He served as assistant pastor of Old St. Patrick and St. Theresa, Palatine. He was a faculty member at Quigley Preparatory Seminary and director of the Cardinal’s Committee for the Spanish Speaking; he was chaplain at the St. Joseph Carondelet Child Center; and he was part of the San Miguelito Panama Mission from 1968 through 1980.

Father Headley also served as associate pastor of Mater Christi Parish, North Riverside, and St. Paul Parish (22nd Place). He was pastor at Our Lady of Mercy Parish from 1982 through 1997, and the title of pastor emeritus was bestowed on him in 2002.

Father Donald Nevins, pastor of St. Agnes of Bohemia Parish, first knew Father Headley when Nevins was a seminarian visiting the San Miguelito Mission.

“I remember one of the first weeks we were there, in 1973, he invited us to go with him to visit a community and its school,” Nevins said. “We piled into his Volkswagen Beetle, drove on dirt roads to a river crossing, left the car there and walked across the small bridge to get us close to the community. The kids rushed him as he got closer, and we all sat with them, disrupting their class for a good half-hour. My time there with him was really formational for me.”

According to Nevins, Father Headley’s passion was to teach laypeople, especially after the Second Vatican Council: He truly believed in the focus of Vatican II and did what he could in the archdiocese and other places to raise up the expectations of laypeople in the church to fulfill their call to leadership, Nevins said.

Father Gary Graf, pastor at Sts. Paul, Agnes and Kieran Parish in Chicago Heights, was the homilist at the funeral Mass for Headley. “Donald Headley set the bar for all priests to achieve in ministry,” Graf said. “He loved everyone he ever met. His life and the Gospel of Jesus Christ were perfectly compatible. He taught teachers, catechists, ministry leaders, priests and bishops how to live and serve as Jesus did. He did so in his every word and especially in how he lived and taught us how to live our lives.”

Deacon Dennis L. Colgan, 77, died July 18. He was the retired associate director of the Office for the Permanent Diaconate and was ordained in 1985.

Deacon Colgan served at St. Mother Theodore Guerin Parish.

He is survived by his wife, Margaret; children Kevin Colgan, Daniel Colgan and Megan Black; six grandchildren; and siblings Laurene Strum, Thomas Colgan and Janet Lapen.

Providence Sister Annette (Edna Carolyn) Schipp, 99, died July 14 in St. Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana.

Born in Indiana, she entered the Sisters of Providence in 1940 and professed final vows in 1948.

Of her 81 years as a Sister of Providence, she ministered for 49 years in education in elementary schools in Indiana and Illinois, before serving as a receptionist and parish and community volunteer.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at Immaculate Conception (Talcott Avenue) (1948-1953). 

Sister of St. Casimir Kathleen Smith, 79, died July 14 in Lemont.

Born in Chicago, she graduated from Maria High School in 1959. She made her first vows in 1962 and her perpetual vows in 1967.

She served as an elementary school teacher in Illinois, Minnesota, Ohio and California and as a high school art teacher in Illinois and Michigan, receiving awards for her work and that of her students. In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she began her ministry teaching first and second grades at Sts. Peter and Paul (1962-1966, 1971-1973); Our Lady of Vilna (1969-1970); and St. Anthony, Cicero (1974-1977). She then taught art at Maria High School (1977-1995).

Sister of St. Joseph-Third Order of St. Francis Magdalene Kabat, 86, died July 19.

She was in religious life for 67 years and had been a dedicated teacher in Indiana and Illinois, and she served as principal of St. Mary of Czestochowa, Cicero.

She is survived by siblings Lorraine Gorski, Melanie Cholewa, Robert Kabat and Patricia Harp.

Father John B. Peng, 94, died June 11 in Sichuan, China. He was a former chaplain of St. Elizabeth Hospital.

Father Peng was born  in China and was ordained there in 1955. After ordination, he served in Taiwan until 1960, and then for a short term in Malaysia. He moved to Chicago and was incardinated in the archdiocese in 1989.

Father Peng served in the Archdiocese of Chicago at St. John Nepomucene Parish and as chaplain at St. Elizabeth Hospital until he retired in 1994. After his retirement, Father Peng did missionary work in Sichuan, China.

“We are so thankful Father Peng lived a long life and did so much to help the Catholic Church in China,” said Peng’s niece Stephanie Leung.

Father Michael J. Bowler, 90, died June 29. He was the former associate pastor of St. Turibius Parish.

Father Bowler was born in Chicago and attended Quigley Preparatory Seminary and the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary before being ordained in 1957.

He was assistant pastor of St. Thomas More, Resurrection (Jackson Street), Visitation and St. Eugene. He was associate pastor of St. Bernardine, Forest Park; St. Cornelius; St. Mary of Perpetual Help; and St. Turibius. He retired in 2001.

Father Bartholomew J. Juncer, pastor of St. Odilo Parish in Berwyn, was a good friend of Father Bowler.

“He was very dedicated as a priest to the people of God. Even in his 80s, he would visit people in hospitals, visit the sick to bring Communion and to anoint them, he would come to church to celebrate Mass,” Juncer said.

Deacon Paul Bovyn, 91, died July 16 at Jesse Brown VA Medical Center. He was ordained in 1972 and served at St. Francis Xavier and then Resurrection Parish (Francisco Avenue).

Born in Chicago, Deacon Bovyn attended Lane Tech High School before joining the U.S. Army and serving in the Korean War. He was a recipient of the Purple Heart.

He married his late wife, Eugenia (Jeannie), in 1952.

He was ordained in the first class of permanent deacons in the Archdiocese of Chicago and served at St. Francis Xavier, which became part of Resurrection Parish in 1991. He officiated at many baptisms and weddings and led holy hours even after he retired.

He was an associate of the Sisters of St. Francis of Joliet for 40 years.

He is survived by his children Michael Bovyn, Cynthia Beck, Gregory Bovyn, Glen Bovyn, Laura Mathis, Timothy Bovyn and Paula Shaughnessy; 13 grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren.

Sinsinawa Dominican Sister Eileen (Mary Ellen) Quinn, 87, died June 24 in Hazel Green, Wisconsin.

Born in Chicago, Sister Eileen made her first profession in 1964 and her perpetual profession in 1970. She taught for 51 years in New York, Wisconsin, Illinois and Pennsylvania.

Sinsinawa Dominican Sister Roslyn (Adeltrude) Snyder, 92, died June 25 in Hazel Green, Wisconsin.

Born in Galena, Sister Roslyn made her first religious profession in 1949 and her perpetual profession in 1952. She ministered in education as a teacher, assistant principal and principal. Sister Roslyn also served as director of social justice ministry, in parish ministry, as director of religious education and the finance officer for the Dominican Sisters of Sinsinawa Southern Province.

She served in Illinois, the District of Columbia, Wisconsin, Alabama and Mississippi.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, Sister Roslyn taught at St. Richard (1949-1954) and Visitation (1974-1975).