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Obituaries

Pray For Them

Sister Hildegarde Smith

PRINCIPAL

Sister of Christian Charity Hildegarde (Theodora) Smith, 83, a Sister of Christian Charity, died April 25, at Sacred Heart Convent, Wilmette.

From 1944-1947 Sister Hildegarde taught first grade at St. Theresa School in Chicago, followed by three years teaching primary grades at St. Martha School in Morton Grove. Returning to Chicago after teaching assignments in Louisiana and Minnesota, Sister Hildegarde served as assistant principal and taught grades 7 and 8 at St. Raphael from 1963-1972. Another brief assignment in Minnesota was followed by being named to the provincial council and serving as director of schools from 1976-1978. In 1978 Sister Hildegarde was sent to St. Teresa School as principal; Sister Hildegarde served as principal there until 1993.

In 1993 Sister Hildegarde went to New Mexico where, from 1993 until 2007 she worked in Immaculate Conception Parish in Cimarron as pastoral minister. Her ministry there was brought to an abrupt end when she suffered a stroke at the end of that year.

Fr. Vincent O’Shea

PASTOR, PROVINCIAL

Servite Father Vincent M. O’Shea, 94, died April 17 at the Little Sisters of the Poor St. Mary’s Home in Chicago.

A Chicago native, he was baptized at Our Lady of Sorrows and graduated from St. Mel School. He entered the Servites in 1931, and was ordained in 1938.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, he served at St. Domitilla, Hillside (1939-1945, 1978-1986; 1988-1994; and 1997-1998); the Servite Major Seminary at Stonebridge Priory, Lake Bluff (1945- 1948, 1952-1958, 1961-1964); prior of Our Lady of Sorrows Monastery (1958-1961, 1964- 1966); assistant provincial of the Servite American Province (1958- 1964).

Fr. Donard Paulus

PASTOR

Franciscan Father Donard Paulus, 86, died May 10 in the Hospice Unit of St. John’s Hospital in Springfield, Ill., after a year of declining health.

Named Edwin at birth, he entered the Order of Friars Minor in Sacred Heart Province in 1942 and received the named Donard. He professed solemn vows in 1946 and was ordained a priest in 1948.

He spent most of his career, from 1950 to 2007, in parochial ministry. He also served as a provincial councilor or definitor from 1987 to 1990.

Donard was known as a “master builder” because, wherever he was stationed, he embarked upon a major and necessary building project. When he was at St. Jude’s in New Lenox, Ill., from 1973-1982, he again built a new parish church.

Sr. Mary Majella Gibson

TEACHER

Dominican Sister Mary Majella (Mary Elizabeth) Gibson, 92 died April 28 at the Dominican Life Center in Adrian, Mich.

She was born in Detroit, and spent 40 years ministering in education in Michigan, Illinois, New Mexico and Ohio.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at St. Kilian (1935-37), Our Lady of Good Counsel (1940- 41) and Aquinas High School (1945-51) in Chicago and St. Celestine in Elmwood Park (1939- 40).

Sr. Mary Olish

TEACHER

Dominican Sister Mary (M. Thaddeus) Olish, 92, died April 30 in Adrian, Mich.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at St. James, Maywood (1931-32); St. Nicholas of Tolentine (1934-37); and St. Carthage (1942-46).

Sister Mary is survived by three brothers: Frank Kelley of Haslett, Mich.; Richard Kelley of Bloomfield Hills, Mich.; and James Kelley, of Livonia, Mich.; and a sister, Patricia Herbst of Madison Heights, Mich.

Br. Patrick O’Hara

MISSIONARY

Sacred Heart Missionary Brother Patrick O’Hara, 64, died May 17.

A Chicago native, he graduated from St. Theodore School in Chicago and Sacred Heart Missionary Seminary in Geneva, Ill. He entered the congregation in 1961, and worked as a printer in Geneva the next 10 years.

He then worked in religious education in Geneva, before being sent to Papua New Guinea in 1974. He spent 30 years there, working as an office manager, bursar, volunteer probation officer, high school board member and education consultant.

He returned to the United States because of poor health in 2004.

Sr. Dorothy Ann Schwertman

TEACHER

School Sister of St. Francis Dorothy Ann Schwertman, 93, died May 19, at St. Joseph Convent in Campbellsport, Wis.

Born in Jacksonville, Ill., she ministered in Illinois, Minnesota and Iowa. In the Archdiocese of Chicago, Sister taught at Alvernia High School in Chicago (1946- 1970 and 1979-1980), Marist High School in Chicago (1973-1979), served as viceprincipal at Academy of Our Lady in Chicago (1980-1981), taught at Immaculate Heart of Mary High School in Westchester (1981-1987), served as tutor at St. Lawrence High School in Burbank (1987-1988), and in her retirement served at Alvernia Center in Chicago (1988-1991).

She is survived by her sisters, Norma Tunberg of Moline, Ill., and Eleanor Schaefer of Bettendorf, Iowa; a brother, Jack Schwertman of Bettendorf, Iowa; nieces and nephews; friends; and the School Sisters of St. Francis.

Sr. Dierdre Clements

TEACHER

Sister of Providence Dierdre (Rosada) Clements, 86, died May 15.

An Indiana native, she entered the Sisters of Providence of St. Mary-of-the-Woods in 1939 and served for 51 years as a teacher. In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at St. Francis Xavier, Wilmette (1941-43); St. Mark (1945-46); St. Columbkille (1951- 53); and St. Leo (1955-56).