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Obituaries

Pray For Them

Sr. Jeannette Valois

EDUCATOR

Sister Jeannette Valois, a Sister of St. Joseph of LaGrange, died March 25.

She ministered in education for 40 years within the archdiocese, teaching at St. Mary, Riverside and St. Francis Xavier, LaGrange.

She also ministered to the elderly for 12 years.

Her brothers, Donald Valois and Brother Kenneth Valois, S.V.D., and sisters Therese Grego, Sister Margaret Valois, O.S.M., Patricia Nario and Mary Krzeczowski survive her.

Fr. John J. McCaig

PASTOR EMERITUS

Father John J. McCaig, 76, pastor emeritus of St. Patrick Parish in Lemont, died March 21 near Waupaca, Wis., as the result of an automobile accident.

He was baptized at now-closed St. Angela Parish and graduated from Quigley (North) Preparatory Seminary in 1951 and the University of St. Mary of the Lake/ Mundelein Seminary in 1958.

Father McCaig was ordained April 12, 1958 and named assistant pastor of Our Lady of Victory Parish, 1958-1963. He was next named assistant pastor of Epiphany Parish, 1963-1966, and of St. Michael Parish in Orland Park, 1966-1973.

He became assistant pastor of St. Mary of the Assumption Parish on the city’s far southeast side, from 1974-1979. After being assistant pastor at Our Lady of Knock Parish, Calumet City; he returned to St. Mary of the Assumption as pastor, 1980-1989.

In 1990 he became assistant pastor of St. Catherine of Alexandria Parish, Oak Lawn, and then was named pastor of St. Patrick Parish, Lemont, 1990-1996.

He retired in 1996 and was named pastor emeritus of St. Patrick Parish.

His brother, Thomas, survives him.

Sr. Simone Antonich

TEACHER, PRIORESS

Dominican Sister Simone Antonich, 89, died Feb. 20 in Sinsinawa, Wis.

She made her first religious profession as a Dominican in 1940 and ministered for 54 years as a teacher and education administrator; hospital chaplain; and prioress of St. Dominic Villa, Dubuque, Iowa.

She served in Illinois, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Wyoming, Oklahoma, Nebraska, California and Iowa.

In the archdiocese, she taught at St. Brendan (1940-1947); St. Mary, Evanston (1952-1953); St. Thomas More (1954-1958); St. Sabina (1962-1963); and Visitation Grade School (1966-1967).

Fr. Barnabas Diekemper

PREACHED MISSIONS

Franciscan friar-priest Barnabas Diekemper, 73, of the Chicago-St. Louis Franciscan Province of the Sacred Heart, died Feb. 21, in Sherman, Ill.

Cornell Diekemper entered the order in 1958, receiving the name Barnabas. He was ordained a priest in 1965, in Teutopolis, Ill. He ministered mainly as a teacher, a parochial vicar, a chaplain or a preacher of missions and retreats.

He was vicar of the friars of Our Lady of the Angels Friary at Greccio in Springfield.

Sr. Mary Frances Leahy

IMMACULATA GRADUATE

BVM Sister Mary Frances Leahy (Thomas Nora), 73, died Feb. 27 in Chicago.

She graduated from St. Ferdinand and Immaculata High School before entering the BVM community in 1953. She was a teacher in Chicago for 45 years, serving at St. Agatha, St. Eugene, St. Tarcissus, St. Jerome, St. Eulalia in Maywood, Holy Family and Children of Peace schools.

Sister Mary Frances was also a tutor at Westside Employment and Education Center and worked at Franklin Park Animal Hospital.

A sister, Noreen Smith, and brothers William and James survive her.

Sr. Margaret Sullivan

TEACHER

Sister of Providence Margaret Sullivan died Feb. 10 in St. Maryof- the-Woods, Ind.

She entered the congregation in 1943 and received the name Sister Joseph Andre, then earned degrees from St. Mary-of-the- Woods College and the University of Notre Dame.

Sullivan taught for 54 years in Indiana, Illinois, Texas and Florida before moving to the motherhouse in 2000.

In the archdiocese, she taught at Our Lady of Mercy (1949-1950), St. Leo (1950-1952), St. Genevieve (1952-1953) and Maternity BVM (1953-1956).

Her brother, Daniel, and sister, Eileen McNamara, survive her.

Deacon John Seitz

INCARNATION PARISH DEACON

Deacon John Seitz, class of 1986, died Feb. 19 in Tennessee. He had ministered at Incarnation Parish in Palos Heights.

Sr. Gertrude Bastnagel

HEALTH CARE

Daughter of Charity Sister Gertrude (Margaret Rose) Bastnagel, 83, died in Evansville, Ind. Feb. 22. She graduated from Mount Carmel High School, 1943, received her R.N. from St. Mary School of Nursing in 1946, and entered the community that year.

She studied nursing at St. Joseph Hospital in Chicago, earning a degree from DePaul University.

She worked in health care administration in Austin and El Paso, Texas; Washington, D.C.; and other cities. She also held several leadership positions within the community. In the archdiocese, she served in full-time governance at St. Joseph Hospital.

Her brother, Dr. William Bastnagel, and sister, Mary Diebler, survive her.

Sr. Mary Bertrande Koppa

EDUCATOR

Felician Sister Mary Bertrande, 98, died Mar. 6 in Chicago. She entered the community in 1929 and taught in Illinois, Wisconsin, Oklahoma and California.

In the archdiocese, from 1931 to 1982, she taught at St. Mary Magdalen, Good Shepherd, St. John of God, St. Isidore (Blue Island), Our Lady of the Gardens, St. Joseph, Holy Innocents, St. Linus, (Oak Lawn); St. Turibius, St. Wenceslaus and St. Bruno.

Sr. Virginia May

CHICAGO NATIVE, TREASURER

Daughter of Charity Virginia May, 91, died March 3. A Chicago native, she graduated from St. Patrick High School in 1934, and entered the community in 1936.

She was assigned to the business office of Hotel Dieu Hospital in New Orleans from 1937-1969. She was appointed treasurer of the Daughters in the East Central Province and lived in Chicago until 1971, when the provincialate was relocated to Evansville, Ind. In retirement, she lived at the Seton Residence.

Her sister, Helen McKenny, survives. her.