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Obituaries

Pray For Them

Fr. William White

PASTOR

Father William J. White, pastor emeritus of St. Gerald Parish in Oak Lawn, died Dec. 31 at his home in Oak Lawn. He was 82 years old.

A Chicago native, Father White was baptized at St. Sabina Church and graduated from St. Margaret of Scotland Elementary School, both on the South Side. He graduated from Archbishop Quigley Preparatory Seminary, and the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary before being ordained in 1952.

He served as assistant pastor at St. Thomas Aquinas Parish for eight years. From 1960 to 1966, he was assistant pastor at St. Nicholas Parish, Evanston, before being named assistant pastor of St. Jude the Apostle Parish, South Holland, where he served until 1973.

That year, Father White began his 22-year affiliation with St. Gerald Parish in Oak Lawn, serving first as assistant pastor for five years, and then as pastor from 1979 until his retirement from active ministry in 1996, when he was named pastor emeritus.

Throughout his life, Father White suffered from a number of illnesses, including heart disease, cancer and pulmonary fibrosis.

Father White is survived by a brother, Robert White, and a sister, Betty Mahoney.

Sr. M. Sylvia Wais

TEACHER

Felician Sister Mary Sylvia Wais, 94, died Nov. 30.

A Chicago native, she entered the Felician Sisters in 1934 from St. John of God Parish, and she taught in schools in Illinois, Wisconsin and Minnesota. In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she ministered at St. Helen (1936-37); Ss. Peter and Paul (1937-39, 1955-57 and 1964-65); Holy Innocents (1953-55); Good Shepherd (1965- 71); Our Lady of Ransom, Niles (1971-72); St. John of God (1972- 74); St. Mary Magdalene (1977- 78); and St. Linus (1990-96).

Sr. M. Paschalita Glista

TEACHER

Felician Sister Mary Paschalita Glista, 88, died Dec. 6.

A Chicago native, she entered the Felician Sisters in 1940 from Sacred Heart Parish. She ministered at Good Shepherd (1943-54), St. John of God (1954-59), St. Bruno (1962-63), St. Wenceslaus (1963-64) and Good Counsel High School (1964-92). For two years, she ministered in Przemysl, Poland, teaching English to the Felician sisters there.

After retiring, she volunteered in the finance office of the Chicago Province of the Felician Sisters, dealing primarily with medical insurance. She also spent six years assisting with the Mercy Home phone ministry.

Sr. June Marie Howard

EDUCATOR, PASTORAL MINISTER

Sister June Marie (Sean Kathleen) Howard, 82, died Dec. 12 in Adrian, Mich.

Sister June was born in Chicago and graduated from Aquinas High School and earned degrees from Siena Heights College (University) in Adrian, DePaul University and Loyola University Chicago.

She spent 33 years ministering in education in Illinois and Michigan.

Sister June also served in pastoral ministry for 10 years in Illinois and Michigan.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she served as principal at St. Mary Star of the Sea (1956-62) and Our Lady Gate of Heaven (1970-71) and as a teacher at Ascension, Harvey (1962-64); St. Rita (1964- 1969); and St. Albert the Great, Oak Lawn (1969-70). She was the religious-education coordinator at St. Michael, Orland Park (1971- 75) and a chaplain at Resurrection Hospital (1981-85).

She is survived by two sisters, Kathleen Flanagan and Laurayne Dunham.

Sr. Serena Ziolkowski

EDUCATOR

Providence Sister Serena (Jennie Cecilia) Ziolkowski, 90, died Dec. 12 in St. Mary-of-the-Woods, Ind.

A Canadian by birth, Sister Serena ministered for 48 years in schools in Indiana, Illinois, California and New Hampshire. In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at Our Lady of Mercy (1939-40).

She is survived by a sister, Helen Ziolkowksi.

Sr. Clare Hartmann

TEACHER

School Sister of St. Francis Clare Hartmann, 99, died Dec. 20, 2008, in Campbellsport, Wis.

An Iowa native, Sister Clare was received into the School Sisters of St. Francis in 1928.

Sister Clare lived her religious ministry as a teacher and librarian in Illinois, Wisconsin and Montana. In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at St. Joseph School, Wilmette (1928-33) and St. Clara School (1934-38).

Sr. M. Bartholomew Kitko

TEACHER

Adrian Dominican Sister Mary Bartholomew (Helen) Kitko, 92, died Dec. 26, 2008.

Sister Bartholomew spent 41 years ministering in education in Michigan, Ohio and Illinois.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at St. Laurence (1934- 36) and St. Kevin (1941-44).

Sister Bartholomew is survived by a sister, Elizabeth Stofik.

Sr. Anita Bruschi

TEACHER/LIBRARIAN

School Sister of St. Francis Anita (Emmanuela) Bruschi, 82, died Dec. 26, 2008, in Fond du Lac, Wis.

A Chicago native, she was received into the School Sisters of St. Francis in 1946.

Sister Anita lived her religious ministry as a teacher, librarian and tutor in Wisconsin and Illinois. In the Archdiocese of Chicago, Sister Anita served at Alvernia High School as a teacher (1964-81) and teacher/librarian (1981-1989), served as teacher/librarian at Providence-St. Mel High School (1989-94), served as teacher-librarian at St. Benedict High School (1994- 2002), served as librarian at Holy Cross High School, River Grove (2002-03), and served as a tutor in Chicago (2003-2007).

Fr. Michael Clarahan

CHAPLAIN

Franciscan Father Michael (Campion) Clarahan, 79, of the St. Louis-based Franciscan Province of the Sacred Heart, died of renal failure after a series of ministrokes Dec. 30, 2008, in Springfield, Ill.

Father Clarahan was an Iowa native who entered the novitiate of Sacred Heart Province of the Order of Friars Minor in 1951. He was ordained in 1958. After a year of pastoral formation and a year as chaplain and instructor at Maryville College in St. Louis, he began a career as an Air Force chaplain for nine years.

After a year of sabbatical in St. Louis, Michael took on a new ministry to addicted persons, first at St. Jude Parish in New Lenox, Ill., and then at St. Peter’s in the Loop. While working at St. Peter’s, he also preached retreats and offered pastoral help in various parishes.

Sister Mary Gardner

TEACHER, PRINCIPAL

Sinsinawa Dominican Sister Mary (Marie David) Gardner, 89, died Jan. 1 in Sinsinawa, Wis.

A Milwaukee native, Sister Mary made her first religious profession as a Sinsinawa Dominican in 1939. Sister Mary ministered as a teacher for 35 years, including three years as principal. She served in Hispanic pastoral ministry for 14 years and as a member of the cultural heritage staff at the motherhouse for six years. She served in Illinois, South Dakota, New York, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Wisconsin and California.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, Sr. Mary taught at Immaculate Conception (1939-41), St. Brendan (1941-43) and St. Philip Benizi (1943- 45). She served as principal at St. Brendan (1967-70).

She is survived by a sister, Jean Wenzel, and a brother, David Gardner.

Sr. Alice Coyle

TEACHER

Sister of the Holy Child Jesus Alice (Mother Mary Bridget) Coyle, 93, died of heart failure Jan. 2 in Rosemont, Pa.

A Philadelphia native, Sister Alice entered the Society of the Holy Child Jesus in 1935.

She taught and served in Waukegan for 16 years, including ministering as principal at St. Anastasia from 1937-53.

She then spent 18 years training teachers in Africa, serving mostly in Nigeria.

Sister Alice also served in the Philadelphia area and in New York.