Obituaries
Pray For Them
Br. William Wiegel
SERVED AT ST. RITA
Augustinian Brother William Wiegel, 64, died May 19 after being seriously injured in a fall. Brother William was received into the Augustinian novitiate in 1965 and he professed permanent vows in 1969. Brother William did maintenance work at parishes, monasteries, and high schools in Illinois, Wisconsin and Missouri. In the Archdiocese of Chicago, he served at St. Rita High School (1963-65 and 1988-93), Augustinian Provincialate in Evanston (1967-72), Mendel Catholic High School, now closed, (1979-88) and St. Rita Parish (1993 until the time of his death).
Sr. Michaeline Grulkowski
TAUGHT AT ST. MATTHIAS
School Sister of St. Francis Michaeline Grulkowski, 96, died May 8 at St. Joseph Convent in Campbell - sport, Wis. Born in Waumandee, Wis., Sister Michaeline entered the School Sisters of St. Francis in 1928 and professed vows in 1934. She served as teacher and principal in Illinois, Iowa and Wisconsin. In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at St. Matthias School from1928to 1933.
Sr. Mary Magdalita Ginty
TAUGHT AT ST. THOMAS MORE
Dominican Sister Mary Magdalita Ginty, 88, died May 18 at St. Dominic Villa, Sinsinawa, Wis. Born in Chicago, she professed first vows in 1943 and final vows in 1946. She served as a teacher and principal for 43 years at schools in I llinois , Wyoming , Maryland and New Jersey. In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at St. Thomas More from 1964-66.
Anthony De Santis
DRURY LANE IMPRESARIO
Anthony (Tony) De Santis, 93, founder of the Drury Lane Theaters and a devout Catholic, died June 7 after a long battle with cancer. A funeral Mass was held June 11 at Holy Name Cathedral.
Born in Gary, Ind., Mr. De Santis began working for the Sherwin Williams Paint Company in 1937 after dropping out of high school. He also worked as a bartender and saved enough money to open the first Drury Lane Theater in 1949. The theater was located in a tent next to his famous Martinique restaurant in Evergreen Park.
Mr. De Santis quickly became a well-known Chicago theater owner, opening five theaters: the North, South, East, Water Tower and Oakbrook Terrace Drury Lanes. His family still owns the Drury Lane Oakbrook Terrace and the Drury Lane Water Tower Place.
Mr. De Santis was a devout Catholic and made donations to several Catholic organizations, including a $1 million donation to Catholic Charities in 2006. He has also received numerous religious and service awards.
Mr. De Santis also hosted a yearly Christmas event for over 1,000 religious sisters from the Midwest. For over 50 years the sisters would come to the theatre to enjoy a free dinner and show. Mr. De Santis is survived by his wife, Lucille; his daughter, Diane; his brother, Dante; his sister inlaw, Kay; and five grandchildren.
Sr. Myrlyn Cramer
BORN IN CHICAGO
School Sister of St. Francis Myrlyn Cramer (Paschaletta), 96, died May 30 in Milwaukee, Wis. Born in Chicago, she entered the School Sisters of St. Francis in 1927 and professed vows in 1929. She served as a teacher and principal in Wisconsin and Illinois.
In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she was principal at St. William (1959-65) and St. James in Arlington Heights (1968-71). She also taught at St. Joseph in Summit (1965-67) and St. Anne in Barrington (1967-69 and 1971- 88).
Marie Catherine Morman
106-YEAR-OLD
Marie Catherine Morman, 106, died May 31 at Mother Theresa Home in Lemont. Born and raised on the South Side of Chicago , Mrs. Morman attended the now closed St. Augustine Parish, which served German immigrants in the Back of the Yards neighborhood.
Mrs. Morman attended Commercial High School and worked as a secretary at Armour and Co. She met her future husband, Frank, while ice skating in Sherman Park in 1919. They were married for 62 years before Frank died in 1983. The couple enjoyed playing bridge together. Mrs. Morman learned to sew and made clothing for her three children.
At the age of 95, Mrs. Morman decided to write her memoirs, which her family self-published.
Mrs. Morman is survived by her children, Jean Unsworth, Dolores Rapoport and Kenneth Morman; six grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.
Sr. Joseph Ann Ryntz
EDUCATOR
Dominican Sister Joseph Ann (Mary Rose) Ryntz, 89, died May 22 in Adrian, Mich. She served as a teacher for 57 years in Illinois, Michigan and Florida. In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at St. Clare Montefalco (1934-36), St. Matthew (1936- 40), Queen of Angels (1940-44) and Bishop Quarter Military Academy, Oak Park (1944-48).
Sr. Francis Eugene Bussing
TAUGHT AT ST. MEL’S
Sister of Providence Francis Eugene Bussing, 87, died June 2 in St. Mary of the Woods, Ind. Sister Francis Eugene entered the Sisters of Providence in 1938 and professed final vows in 1946. She served as an educator at schools in Oklahoma, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, California, Illinois and Indiana. In Chicago, she taught at St. Mel from 1940-46.
Sr. Monica Withem
EDUCATOR
Sister of Providence Monica Withem, 93, died June 9 in St. Mary of the Woods, Ind. She entered the Sisters of Providence in 1933 and professed final vows in 1941. Sister Monica served as an educator in Indiana, Illinois, California and Peru. In Chicago, she taught at Maternity BVM (1935- 39), Our Lady of Sorrows (1946- 48) and St. Mel (1961-62).
