Issue of March 19, 2006

Sr. Marie Hamel

ministered 63 years

A funeral Mass was held for Sister of St. Joseph Marie Hamel on Dec. 13 at the Sisters of St. Joseph Motherhouse Chapel, LaGrange Park. Sister Hamel celebrated 63 years of religious life.

She is survived by one brother and three sisters.

Sr. Agnes Jean Groff

Educator

BVM Sister Agnes Jean Groff, 74, died Dec. 23 at Caritas Center, Dubuque, Iowa. Born in Kansas City, Mo., she entered the BVM congregation in 1948.

Sister taught in Chicago at St. Charles, 1951; St. Jerome, 1965-70; and St. Eulalia in Maywood, 1955-61. She also taught in Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska and Kansas.

Sr. Mary Clare McGrath

Taught 50 years in archdiocese

BVM Sister Mary Clare McGrath, 99, died Jan. 5 at Marian Hall, Dubuque, Iowa. Born in St. Louis, she entered the BVM congregation in 1926.

She ministered in the archdiocese for 50 years.

She taught music at St. Dorothy, 1928-30; St. Eulalia in Maywood, 1930-37; St. Odilo in Berwyn, 1949-55; St. Mary High School, 1955-58; St. Ferdinand, 1958-65; Immaculata High School, 1968-69; and was on the staff of Holy Name Cathedral High School, 1969-93. She also taught in Iowa and New York.

Sr. Mary Joanicia Smaron

Educator, Indiana native

Felician Sister Mary Joanicia Smaron, 89, died Dec. 24. Born in East Chicago, Ind., she entered the Felician Sisters in 1934.

She was a teacher in Illinois, Wisconsin and Minnesota. In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at St. Bronislava, 1936-39; St. Bruno, 1948-52; SS. Peter and Paul, 1956-58; St. Joseph, 1958-60; St. Isidore in Blue Island, 1960-62; Our Lady of Ransom in Niles, 1962-64; St. Linus, Oak Lawn, 1968-78; and St. Turibius, 1978-97.

Sr. Raissa Metz

grade-school teacher

Dominican Sister Raissa Metz, 81, died Dec. 9 at the Dominican Motherhouse, Sinsinawa, Wis. Born in Stetsonville, Wis., Sister Metz entered the Sinsinawa Dominican community and made her final profession on Aug. 5, 1950.

She was a grade school teacher for 49 years in Illinois, Minnesota, Wisconsin and South Dakota.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at St. Giles in Oak Park, 1981-84; and St. Thomas More, 1993-97. From 1984 to 1985 she served in the Dominican Education Center Book Store at Sinsinawa.

Sr. Rosemary Donovan

educator for 55 years

Sister of Notre Dame de Namur Rosemary (St. James) Donovan, 89, died Dec. 21 at Mount Notre Dame Health Center, Reading, Ohio. She was a native of Dayton, Ohio. She received her undergraduate degree from the Athenaeum of Ohio in 1947 and a masters degree in religious education from Loyola University in 1978.

She was an educator for more than 55 years. In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she ministered at St. John the Apostle in Villa Park for 19 years.

Sr. Mary Michaeline Curran

taught at many schools

Mercy Sister Mary Michaeline Curran, 94, died Dec. 29 at McAuley Convent, Aurora. She was a native of Chicago and ministered at schools in Illinois.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at St. Cecilia, Holy Rosary, St. Catherine of Genoa, St. Joseph in Libertyville, St. Ann, All Saints, Holy Family in North Chicago, St. Gabriel, St. Rose of Lima, St. Malachy, Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, St. Ita, Little Flower, and Mother McAuley High School.

Sr. Eileen Marie Ryan

teacher, principal

Dominican Sister Eileen Marie (Susan) Ryan, 99, died at the Dominican Life Center, Adrian, Mich. Sister Ryan was born in Ireland.

She received a bachelor’s degree from Siena Heights University, Adrian, and a master’s degree in education from DePaul University.

She spent 64 years ministering in education in Michigan, Florida and Illinois. In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she served as a teacher at St. Carthage, 1945-49; a principal at St. Kilian, 1949-55; a teacher at St. Nicholas of Tolentine, 1955-58; and at St. Philip Neri, 1958-59; a principal at St. Denis, 1959-65; a teacher at St. Joseph in Homewood, 1965-68; and a secretary at Santa Maria Del Popolo in Mundelein, 1968-91.

Sr. Jean Smith

Education Department chair

Dominican Sister Jean (Raphael) Smith, 79, died Dec. 12 at Mercy Medical Center, Dubuque, Iowa. She was born in New York.

She was a teacher and principal for 30 years at schools in Illinois, the District of Columbia, New York, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Florida.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, Sister Smith taught at St. Barnabas, 1948-55, and at St. Vincent Ferrer in River Forest, 1955-60. She also served as the education department chair at Rosary College (now Dominican University), 1984-92.

Sr. Marie Monica Heller

Educator, homemaker

School Sister of St. Francis Marie Monica (Arilda) Heller, 88, died Jan. 7 at St. Joseph Convent, Campbellsport, Wis. Born in Milo, Iowa, she entered into the School Sisters of St. Francis community in 1935.

She served as a homemaker, teacher, principal, parish minister and a volunteer in Illinois and Wisconsin. In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she was a homemaker at St. Benedict Convent, 1936-37. She taught at St. Matthias School, 1982-84; served as a parish minister and teacher at St. Matthias, 1984-87; volunteered at Friends of Children, 1987-93; and was a volunteer tutor at St. Priscilla Convent, 1993-00.

Sr. Marie Christine Fraley

worked in finance office

Dominican Sister Marie Christine (Agnes Marian) Fraley, 91, died Jan. 10 at the Dominican Life Center, Adrian, Mich.

Sister Fraley ministered in education for 39 years in Illinois, Michigan, Ohio and Florida. In the Archdiocese of Chicago she taught at St. Kilian, 1930-31; St. Nicholas ,1933-37; and St. Laurence, 1945-47.

From 1971-77 she served at Weber Center in Environmental Services, and from 1977-89 she ministered in the Congregation Finance Office.

Sr. Louise Leary

Educator

Sister of Providence Louise (Jerome) Leary, 86, died Jan. 2 at Mother Theodore Hall, St. Mary of the Woods, Ind. She entered the Congregation of the Sisters of Providence in 1939.

She served as an educator at schools in North Carolina, Indiana, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maryland and New Hampshire.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at St. Mel-Holy Ghost from 1949-54.