Issue of April 2, 2006

Fr. John J. Cunningham

Retired St. Priscilla pastor

Father John James Cunningham, 75, pastor of St. Priscilla Parish on the Northwest Side for more than 20 years, died March 16. Father Cunningham was retired and had been living at Bishop Lyne Residence, Lemont.

A Chicago native, Father Cunningham graduated from Quigley Preparatory Seminary and the University of St. Mary of the Lake in Mundelein.

Following his ordination as a priest in 1956, he served as assistant pastor for eight years at St. Thomas the Apostle Parish in the South Side’s Hyde Park community.

From 1964 to 1973, he was assistant pastor at St. Maria Goretti Parish in Schiller Park and served in the same capacity at St. Hugh Parish in Lyons from 1973 to 1981.

He was a chaplain in the Illinois National Guard in the 1960s and served for a year as chaplain at Nazareth Academy in LaGrange Park beginning in 1981.

In 1982, Father Cunningham became pastor of St. Priscilla where he served until his retirement in 2003. He was named pastor emeritus.

He is survived by a sister, Patricia Kindernay of Darien.





Ray Meyer

By Dolores Madlener
staff writer



The Catholic New World’s earliest press coverage of Ray Meyer is a yellowed clipping from June 1938 when Notre Dame University gave him a student award for scholastic and athletic excellence.

The legendary DePaul basketball coach died March 17. He was 92. Burial followed a March 21 Mass from St. Vincent de Paul Church on the North Side.

In 1938, the newspaper—then called just The New World—noted his past fame was as a champion CYO basketball player and successful coach of St. Agatha’s team on the West Side. After joining the Blue Demons, Meyer became the favored beat of every sports reporter who came along on the archdiocesan newspaper.

In return, the Catholic press was favored by Coach Meyer. He was never too busy to pose for a circulation promotion or lend his name as a booster.

Mr. Meyer, of Arlington Heights, led the DePaul Blue Demons for more than 40 seasons, including two trips to the NCAA Final Four. He died surrounded by his family at the Addolorata Villa assisted living facility, Wheeling.

Meyer is remembered for being a leader and mentor for his players, a generous and kind father figure to his family and friends, and a beloved symbol of DePaul University’s values.

“Ray Meyer is an iconic figure in the history of basketball in America and the life of DePaul University,” said Vincentian Father Dennis H. Holtschneider, DePaul president. He was “a hero to his colleagues, players and thousands of children who attended basketball camps hosted by the man they knew simply as ‘Coach.’”

After retiring as DePaul’s coach in 1984, Meyer served as special assistant to the president of DePaul until 1997. In his 55 years at DePaul, he attended 1,467 consecutive Blue Demon games.

Meyer was designated in 1984 an “affiliate” of the Vincentian Community, the highest honor the Vincentians can bestow. In 1999, the university named its new Lincoln Park Campus fitness facility the Ray Meyer Fitness and Recreation Center.

Meyer, a 1933 graduate of St. Patrick’s High School, is survived by five children and many grandchildren.

Contributing: DePaul University



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.

Sr. Rose Angele Spalding

Educator/adminstrator

Sister of Providence Rose Angele (Monica Elizabeth) Spalding, 92, died Jan. 8. Born in Loogootee, Ind., she entered the Congregation of the Sisters of Providence in 1933.

She was a teacher and administrator in Illinois, Indiana and the District of Columbia. In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at St. Angela School (1936), St. Francis Xavier in Wilmette (1947-54), Our Lady of Sorrows (1936-41) and St. Alexander School, Palos Heights (1960-61).

Sr. Mary Hickey

Educator

Sister of Providence Mary Hickey, 96, died Jan. 12 at St. Mary of the Woods, Ind.

Born in Chicago, Sister Hickey entered the Congregation of the Sisters of Providence in 1927. She was an educator in Illinois, Indiana and Maryland. In the Chicago Archdiocese she taught at St. Columbkille (1933-34), St. Sylvester (1934-35; 1938-41), St. Mel (1941-43), St. Leo (1949-54) and St. Mark (1965-67). She also was principal at St. Mark, 1967-68.

Sr. Margaret Mary Dunn

College professor

Sacred Heart Sister Margaret Mary “Peggy” Dunn, 83, former English professor at Barat College, died Jan. 14, at Kenwood Convent of the Sacred Heart, Albany, N.Y.

Sister Dunn taught English at Barat College, Lake Forest, from 1967-82. During the late 1960s and early 1970s, she was an advocate for African-American students at Barat and helped them organize the Black Student Union. In 1970, Sister Dunn launched Barat’s Oxford Program, which made it possible for Barat students to study at Oxford University in England.

She also taught English and served as an academic dean at Manhattanville College, Purchase, N.Y., from 1958 to 1966. She taught English at the University of the Sacred Heart in Tokyo and at the University of San Diego. The New York native entered the Society of the Sacred Heart in 1952.

Sr. Shirley Hellmann

Educator, secretary

Charity Sister Shirley (Shirley Mae) Hellmann, 69, died Jan. 9 at Seton Residence, Evansville, Ind. Sister Hellmann was born in St. Louis, Mo., and joined the Daughters of Charity in 1957.

She ministered as a teacher at schools in Louisiana, New York and Illinois. In 1967, she began teaching at Marillac High School, Northfield. From 1975-82, she worked in pastoral care at St. Mary’s Hospitals in Evansville, Ind.; Milwaukee, Wis.; and Saginaw, Mich.

In 1980, Sister Hellmann received a master’s degree in pastoral studies from Loyola University in Chicago. In 1982, she began serving as a secretary at St. Vincent DePaul Center in Chicago and remained there until 1993, when she entered Seton Residence for health reasons. In 1997 she went to St. Patrick’s School in LaSalle, Ill., and served as a tutor/aide until 2000.

Sr. Veronica Tamm

Educator

Dominican Sister Veronica (Bernadette Ann) Tamm, 74, died Jan. 18 at the Dominican Life Center, Adrian, Mich.

Sister Tamm was born in Sioux Falls, S.D. She earned a master of arts degree in religious education from Mundelein College in Chicago. She spent 28 years ministering in education in Illinois, Michigan, and Arizona. In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at St. Edmund, Oak Park, from 1951-60.

Sr. Stephanie Wronski

Educator

BVM Sister Stephanie Wronski, 89, died Jan. 7 at Marian Hall, Dubuque, Iowa. She was born in Chicago and attended Nash Elementary School and St. Mary High School. She entered the BVM congregation on Feb. 2, 1935.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago Sister Wronski taught at Mary Queen of Heaven in Cicero (1937-38), Holy Cross (1938-53, 1957-58), and St. Tarcissus (1958-93). She also taught in Iowa.

Sr. Maureen Hegy

Musician

School Sister of St. Francis Maureen Hegy, 93, died Jan. 25 at St. Joseph Convent in Campbellsport, Wis. She entered the School Sisters of St. Francis community in 1928.

She ministered as a musician in Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin. In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she served as a musician at St. Clara School from 1930-35.

Sr. Celeste Poelker

Educator, homemaker

Sister of Christian Charity Celeste (Leona) Poelker, 97, died Jan. 31 at Sacred Heart Convent, Wilmette. Born in St. Louis, she entered the congregation of Christian Charity in 1934.

Sister Celeste was an educator and a homemaker. In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at St. Gregory (1938-43), St. Aloysius (1953-55) and St. Teresa of Avila at Sacred Heart Convent. From 1981-96, she performed various duties at the motherhouse. In 1997, Sister Celeste moved to Sacred Heart Convent.

Sr. M. Sponsa Bajorek

Educator/artist

Franciscan Sister Mary Sponsa Bajorek, 89, died Jan. 23.

She entered the Franciscan Sisters of Chicago in 1932. Sister Sponsa received an undergraduate degree in education from DePaul University and a master’s degree in art from the University of Notre Dame.

She ministered in education. In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at Five Holy Martyrs School, St. Florian School and St. Stanislaus Bishop and Martyr School. She also taught Polish, religion and art during her 37 years at Madonna High School.

Sister Sponsa was a talented artist and helped with the school yearbook, designed posters and created props for school plays.

Later she became a social service designee at Mother Theresa Home, Lemont and then worked in the congregation’s administrative offices. She also did design work for the congregation.

Sr. Helen Gerber

music teacher/principal

Sister Helen (Joselita) Gerber, BVM, 93, died Feb. 5 at Caritas Center in Dubuque, Iowa. Born in Iowa City, Ia., Sister Helen entered the BVM congregation in 1932.

Sister Helen was a music teacher, principal and librarian for 48 years. In Chicago she taught at St. Dominic and St. Bridget schools. She also taught in Iowa, Nebraska, Colorado and Montana.

Kyle Niccum

Grandson of staff

Kyle Niccum, 22, was killed in a hit-and-run accident on Jan. 29. Mr. Niccum is the grandson of Greg Veith, manager of facilities services and construction for the Archdiocese of Chicago.

Services for Mr. Niccum were held Feb. 2 in Raleigh, N.C.

Sr. Bernadette Curran

educator/culinary artist

Dominican Sister Bernadette (Mary Arthur) Curran, 88, died Jan. 14 at St. Dominic Villa, Sinsinawa, Wis.

She made her final profession as a Sinsinawa Dominican in 1946.

She worked in the culinary arts for nine years as well as teaching elementary school and tutoring for 37 years.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, Sister Bernadette taught at St. Basil from 1958-61 and 1968-69.