Issue of February 2, 2003

Fr. Lawrence Thornton

Served in Ghana

Divine Word Missionary Father Lawrence Thornton, 84, died Jan. 23. A native of St. Louis, he moved to Chicago with his family as a child. In 1941 he entered the Divine Word St. Augustine Seminary’s high school program. He then entered the novitiate in Techny, where he was ordained in 1954.

He was assigned to the Divine Word missions in Ghana, West Africa, in 1956. He became novice master for the brothers training program in Nsawam, near the capital city of Accra. Father Thornton held that position until 1965 when he was assigned to Holy Spirit Cathedral Parish. He returned to the U.S. in 1966 to work at Our Lady of the Gardens and St. Elizabeth parishes in Chicago. He also chaired a provincial committee on commitment to the black community before returning to Ghana in 1969, where he continued to minister until he retired to Techny in 1993.

Sr. Cyrille Michuda

Teacher

School Sister of Notre Dame Cyrille Michuda died Jan. 11. Sister Cyrille spent many years teaching in various elementary schools in the Archdiocese of Chicago, specializing in reading.

Eileen Wood Gustafson

AVID pro-live supporter

Eileen Wood Gustafson, mother of Father Christopher Gustafson of St. Mary Parish, Lake Forest, died Jan. 21. Mrs. Gustafson was a parishioner of St. Bede the Venerable Church on the South Side and was active for many years in pro-life activities.

A mother of seven and grandmother of 15, she graduated from Our Lady of Solace Grade School, Visitation High School and Loyola University.

Sr. Francelle Rakowski

teacher

Sister of Christian Charity Francelle Rakowski, 64, died Jan. 21. A native of Chicago, she entered the Congregation of the Sisters of Christian Charity in 1954. Sister Francelle ministered as an elementary school teach-er.

Her assignments in the archdiocese of Chicago included St. Aloysius School, St. Isaac Jogues School, Niles; and St. Alphonsus Liguori School, Prospect Heights.

She also worked in the school office at St. Theresa’s in Palatine.

Sr. Catherine Mann

teacher

Adrian Dominican Sister Catherine Mann, 95, died Jan. 19. She spent 44 years ministering in elementary education in Chicago, as well as in several other states and the Dominican Republic. In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at St. Rita from 1936-43.

Br. Jude Heggy

WWII Veteran, teacher

De La Salle Christian Brother Jude Heggy, 82, died Jan. 17. He was a member of the congregation for 51 years and a United States Marine Corps veteran of WWII. He earned a Purple Heart and Bronze Star and was honorably discharged in 1946. He entered the Christian Brothers in 1952. He taught at St. Francis High School, Wheaton; St. Joseph High School, Westchester, De La Salle Institute, Chicago; and St. Patrick High School, Chicago.

Sr. M. Kingnetta Szczypula

educator

Franciscan Sister Mary Kingnetta Szczypula, 83, died Jan. 17. A native of Chicago, she entered the Franciscan Sisters of Chicago at age 17 and was professed in 1945. She served as an elementary and secondary teacher for 53 years. She taught at St. Stanislaus Bishop & Martyr and St. Florian schools in Chicago. Sister Kingnetta then ministered at Madonna High School for 41 years where she taught religion, Polish and commercial courses and organized the school’s business education curriculum. She also served a term as president of the Greater Midwest Catholic Business Association.

Sr. Eunice Madden

Teacher

Sister of Mercy Mary Eunice Madden, 95, died Jan. 10. She had been a Sister of Mercy for 71 years. A native of Earlville, Ill., she served as a teacher in several states.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, Sister Eunice served at St. Cecilia, St. Joachim, Resurrection, Holy Rosary, St. Columba, and St. Patrick schools.

Sr. Marie Paryse

Teacher

School Sister of St. Francis Marie Paryse, 61, died Jan. 16. A native of Chicago, she was received into the School Sisters of St. Francis in 1960 and professed in 1962.

She began her ministry in education, teaching at St. Anne, Barrington; St. Philomena, and Our Lady of Victory schools in Chicago; and Chopin Elementary School, Chicago. Sister Marie then served as treasurer for the School Sisters of St. Francis’ Holy Name Province in Chicago. She later served at Alvernia High School

She worked as director of social services for Catholic Charities here and was social care coordinator at Our Lady of Lourdes Convent in Chicago. She served as pastoral associate at St. Martin de Porres and St. Jerome parishes, and as pastoral coordinator at St. Maurice Parish.

Sr. Theresia Kruger

Native of Prussia

Sister of Christian Charity Theresia Kruger, 101, died Jan. 14.

A native of Langenkamp, Prussia, she entered the Congregation of the Sisters of Christian Charity in 1927 at the general motherhouse in Paderborn (now Germany).

Sister Theresia was missioned to Wilmette in 1931.

Her ministry was that of homemaker. Her assignments in the Chicago area included the motherhouse in Wilmette, St. Theresa Convent in Chicago, St. Raphael Convent, Chicago, and St. Theresa Convent in Palatine.

Sr. Henrica Steger

Teacher

School Sister of Notre Dame Henrica Steger died Jan. 7. During her early years as a religious, she taught in various elementary schools in the Archdiocese of Chicago.

Sister Henrica was also very involved in secretarial work during the foundation years of the Chicago Province of the School Sisters of Notre Dame.