Home Page Home Page
Front Page News Digest Cardinal George Observations The Interview MarketPlace
Learn more about our publication and our policies
Send us your comments and requests
Subscribe to our print edition
Advertise in our print edition or on this site
Search past online issues
Site Map
New World Publications
Periódieo oficial en Español de la Arquidióesis de Chicago
Katolik
Archdiocesan Directory
Order Directory Online
Link to the Archdiocese of Chicago's official Web site.
The Catholic New World
Obituaries
Issue of May 8, 2005

Catherine Wilkins Crowley

Renaissance woman

Catherine Wilkins Crowley, 87, a 59-year resident of Glenview, died April 27 in her residence, where she and her husband Tom raised 10 children.

Born in 1917 in Rogers Park, she attended St. Jerome elementary school and St. Scholastica High School. After graduating from Mundelein College, she worked for Catholic Charities as a social worker and pursued a master’s degree in social work at Loyola University.

In 1940 she earned a pilot’s license as part of the Civilian Pilot Training program. While at Loyola she met Thomas E. Crowley, a law student. They were married in 1942 while Tom was in Army officer‘s training school. Following Tom’s tour of duty in Europe, they built their home in Glenview.

An active member of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish, Catherine began a second full-time career teaching in the parish school. She taught there for 20 years, helped to coordinate curricula and developed integrated studies programs. Her enthusiasm for teaching led her to apply for the NASA Teacher in Space program and to instill in her students a love for learning. She also served as lector and eucharistic minister for the past 20 years.

In 1973 Catherine entered the political world as the first woman to run for Glenview Park District Commissioner. She won her first election and served for 32 years on the commission, including five terms as president. During her tenure the park district more than doubled its acreage for recreational purposes, created and updated several parks, added the Grove and Wagner Farm to the park district’s holdings and developed the Park Center at the Glen.

She is survived by her children Ann (Joe) Scheidler, Mary (Ken) Theisen, Tom (Pi’ilani), John, Jim (Debbie), Helen (Tom) Kilbane, Patrick, Michael (Tanya), Louise Wilson and Bill (Margaret); 33 grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren.

Sr. M. Therese Buchta

Teacher AND PRINCIPAL

School Sister of St. Francis Mary Therese Buchta (Jonella) died April 25 at St. Luke Hospital in Milwaukee. Born in Czechoslovakia, she was received into the School Sisters of St. Francis community in 1944 and made profession of vows in 1946.

Sister Mary Therese served in the Archdiocese of Chicago for 41 years. She lived her religious ministry in education as a teacher and principal at Blessed Agnes School from 1961-75; was principal at Our Lady of Charity School, Cicero, from 1975-92; directed the school lunch program at Our Lady of Charity School from 1992-97; and was a homemaker at Our Lady of Charity Convent, Cicero, from 1997-2002.

Sister Mary Therese is survived by nieces and nephews and great-nieces and great-nephews, other relatives, friends and the School Sisters of St. Francis with whom she shared life for 61 years.

Harriet R. Brennan

St. Gerald School clerk

Harriet R. “Sally” Brennan, 80, a resident of Naperville and formerly of Oak Lawn, died, April 21 at St. Patrick’s Residence in Naperville.

She was employed for 38 years as a clerk at St. Gerald School in Oak Lawn.

Mrs. Brennan is survived by her children Barbara (Christian) Pawlak, James (Constance) Brennan, Michael (Margaret) Brennan, Mary J. Brennan, and Kathleen (David) Olen; 10 grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.

Sr. Catherine McGee

Teacher, administrator

Sister of Mercy Catherine McGee, 75, died April 22. She had been a Sister of Mercy for 57 years.

A Chicago native, she served as a teacher in Illinois and she was also an administrator at Misericordia North.

Some of the schools that Sister Catherine ministered at were: Little Flower; Precious Blood; St. Patrick, McHenry; St. Emeric, Country Club Hills; St. Irenaeus, Park Forest; and St. Justin Martyr.

Sister Catherine was an administrator at Misericordia North from 1976 until her death.

Fr. Norbert Waszak

Retired Pastor of St. Blase

Father Norbert Joseph Waszak, pastor emeritus of St. Blase Parish in Argo, died April 20, at St. Benedict Home in Niles where he was a resident. Father Waszak was 78 years old, was diabetic and had been ill for some time

Father Waszak was born in Chicago and grew up on the city’s South Side.

He graduated from Quigley Preparatory Seminary and from the University of St. Mary of the Lake Seminary in Mundelein. Cardinal Samuel Stritch ordained him in 1953.

Father Waszak served as assistant pastor at St. John the Baptist Parish in Harvey for eight years immediately following his ordination. For the next 20 years, he served as assistant pastor at St. Salomea Parish, now closed; St. Francis of Assisi, a Polish parish on N. Kostner; St. Helen; St. Barbara; and Five Holy Martyrs parishes, all in Chicago.

In 1981, he was named pastor of St. Blase Parish in Argo, where he served for 17 years until his retirement in 1996.

Father Ray Jasinski, a friend ordained a year after Father Waszak, noted that Father Waszak was an avid reader who sometimes read a book in a single day and often listened to tapes. According to Father Jasinski, he was very attentive to the liturgy, frequently printing special services in English, Spanish and Polish to accommodate the parishioners of St. Blase.

Sr. M. Josephine Januzzi

Taught at Ascension School

Adrian Dominican Sister Marie Josephine (Elizabeth Rose) Januzzi, 94, died April 15. She was in the 73rd year of her religious profession in the Adrian Dominican Congregation.

Born in Detroit, she spent 58 years teaching in elementary schools in Michigan, as well as in Arizona, California, Nevada and Florida. She served as principal from 1966-70 in Nevada, and as a Montessori apprentice from 1981-89 in Adrian, Mich. In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at Ascension Grade School, Harvey, from 1930-31.

She is survived by nieces and nephews.

top

Front Page | Digest | Cardinal | Interview | Classifieds | About Us | Write Us | Subscribe | Advertise | Archive | Catholic Sites  | New World Publications | Católico | Directory  | Site Map