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Obituaries

Pray For Them

Chris Burritt

CATHOLIC PRODUCER/DIRECTOR

Chris Burritt, 59, husband of Susan Burritt, media relations director for the Archdiocese of Chicago, died Jan. 7 at Loyola University Medical Center. A lifelong resident of Oak Park, he was an executive producer-director and cinematographer.

Graduating from Columbia College Chicago in 1970, he later worked there as an independent producer-director after joining the Film & Video Department at Columbia in 1997, also teaching courses in image design and lighting.

Mr. Burritt supervised, produced and directed all of the motion picture productions for the Catholic Television Network of Chicago. He was also associate producer and crew supervisor for many Indianapolis 500 race television specials. Later, he produced independently for Leo Burnett Company, NBC Dateline and CNN. Chris served as an on-camera historian for the NBC production “Titanic” and as the keynote speaker for WGN-AM’s “Titanic Dinners.”

Apart from his wife, his brother Lt. Col. Richard Burritt and two sisters, Dr. Mary F. Burritt and Penny Bollero, survive him.

Sr. Barbara Ott

TEACHER, MISSIONARY

Dominican Sister Barbara Ott, 63, died Dec. 18, at St. Dominic Villa, Sinsinawa, Wis. Born in Milwaukee, she made her first profession in 1968. She ministered for 38 years as teacher, guidance counselor, missionary and social worker.

She served as a member of the general council of her order (1982-1990), and in the archdiocese as director of Apostolic Volunteers (now Dominican Volunteers USA) (1980-1982). She served in Wisconsin, Illinois, Florida and Paraguay.

She is survived by a brother David and two sisters, Dorothy Dziengel and Kay Williams.

Fr. John E. “Jack” Beez

INTERNATIONAL MISSIONS

Jesuit Father John E. “Jack” Beez, 82, died Dec. 28 at William Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak, Mich. He was ordained a Jesuit in 1956 and earned degrees from Fordham and Columbia Universities and West Baden College.

He taught at Loyola Academy, Wilmette (1956-1958), before becoming a teacher and moderator for the alumni association at St. Xavier High School in Delhi, India (1962-1978). Returning to Chicago, he served as director for international missions for the Chicago Province (1979-1988), and was also delegate for the province. His ministry continued in Michigan and then Ohio.

Sr. Elizabeth Kotre

EDUCATOR, PASTORAL MINISTER

Sr. Elizabeth (Nicholas) Kotre, a Sister of St. Joseph of La- Grange, died Jan. 6.

She spent approximately 40 years in education and worked for 20 years in pastoral ministry to the sick and elderly. Most recently, she served as principal at St. Isaac Jogues, Hinsdale; St. John Fisher, Chicago; and St. Cletus, LaGrange.

Sr. Madonna Morin

TEACHER BVM

Sister M. Madonna Morin, (Noel), 90, died Jan. 3, at Marian Hall, in Dubuque , Iowa. A Rhode Island native, she graduated from St. Eulalia School, Maywood , and St. Mary High School, Chicago, before entering the order in 1937.

In Chicago she taught at St. Ferdinand, 1947-1954; St. Pius, 1954- 1955; Our Lady Help of Christians, 1958-62; Our Lady of Angels, 1968-76; and Immaculata High School, 1976-1980. She worked at Oak Park Hospital and volunteered at D’Arcy Gallery of Loyola University.

Sister Madonna was an educator in South Dakota, Iowa and Wisconsin. Sisters Audrey Gearhart, Joan Mosby and Rosemarie Hayes and brothers Jesuit Father Benjamin Morin, Arthur, Robert, Paul and George Morin survive her.

Loretta Szmyd

MOTHER OF PRIEST

Loretta Szmyd, mother of archdiocesan priest Father John S. Szmyd, director of liturgy and member of Mundelein Seminary’s formation faculty, died Dec. 20.

Sr. Josephine Tominac

NURSE, SUPERIOR GENERAL

Sister Josephine Tominac, 90, former superior general of the School Sisters of St. Francis of Christ the King, died Dec. 22.

She was raised in Sacred Heart Parish in South Chicago and entered the order in 1933, graduating from St. Joseph Hospital School of Nursing in Joliet in 1939 and earning degrees at De- Paul University.

Her ministry included St. Mary Nativity and St. Joseph Hospital in Joliet and St. Stephen Parish in Chicago, as well as parishes in Kansas and Ohio. She also taught at Mount Assisi Academy, Lemont (1953-1968).

She then became superior general, (1969-1981), working in nine provinces and Rome. Returning to the United States in 1981, she was a nurse at Alvernia Manor, also serving as assistant administrator, and then retired at Marian Hall in 1995.

She is survived by her brother Nicholas and four sisters: Dorothy Perak, Mariann Meenan, Rita Anderson and Judith Harmon.

Sr. Mary Kornely

TEACHER, DIRECTOR

Sister Mary Kornely (Raymond), 83, died Jan. 4, at St. Joseph Convent in Campbellsport, Wis. A native of Milwaukee, she entered the School Sisters of St. Francis June 13, 1942.

She was a teacher, retreat director, spiritual director, consultant, pastoral minister and parish adult minister, living and working in Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, New Jersey, New Hampshire, Connecticut and New York. In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at St. Joseph School in Wilmette (1944-1945), taught at Alvernia High School in Chicago (1945-1949) and served as retreat director at St. Steven House in Chicago (1975-1976).

She is survived by two sisters, Carol Ehlenbach and Elizabeth Miech.