Obituary of Sister Kathleen Kirk

Sister Kathleen Kirk (1916 - 2014) died at Our Lady of Angels Retirement Home, Joliet, Illinois on April 14, 2014. She was one of five children born to the late Marguerite and William F. Kirk. Sister Kathleen was preceded in death by her parents, her brother, Rev. William Kirk, and her sisters, Eleanore, Marguerite and Sister Mary Vincent, OSF. Sister Kathleen Kirk attended St. Pascal Grade School and Alvernia High School in Chicago, Illinois. She, along with her sister, Sister Mary Vincent Kirk, was received as a novice of the Sisters of St. Francis in Joliet, Illinois, on August 12, 1933. Sister Kathleen received her Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Music degrees from the College of St. Francis, Joliet. She received her Master's degree in Music at DePaul University in Chicago. While she furthered her education in various fields at other institutions, music continued to remain the focus of her ministry. Sister Kathleen began her ministry in education and music at St. Mary Magdalene in Columbus, Ohio teaching grades 1 and 2 and serving as Parish Organist. From 1939 to 1944 she taught Kindergarten and Music at St. Raymond's in Joliet, Illinois. Her music ministry took her to grade and high schools throughout Illinois and Ohio. In 1969 she spent a year teaching Music Education at the University of San Carlos in the Philippines. When she returned to the Unites States in 1970 she taught for one year at St. Procopius High School in Chicago and then began a ten year ministry teaching social studies at Immaculata High School in Chicago, Illinois. From 1981 until 1989 she served as the bookkeeper for the Cathedral of St. Raymond Parish in Joliet, Illinois. In 1989 she became a Crisis Line Volunteer Operator and worked there until 1994. After some time for family ministry, Sr. Kathleen ministered in Pastoral Care at St. Raymond Cathedral in Joliet, retiring from active ministry in 2009 when she moved to Our Lady of Angels Retirement Home. The wake for Sister Kathleen will be at Our Lady of Angels Retirement Home, 1201 Wyoming Avenue, Joliet, IL, (Wyoming and Rt. 30) on Wednesday, April 16, 2014 from 2:00 - 6:45 p.m., with a Prayer Service at 4:45 p.m. and Mass of Christian Burial at 7:00 p.m. The Funeral Procession will leave from Our Lady of Angels on Thursday morning, April 17, 2014 at 9:00 a.m. The Interment will take place at Resurrection Cemetery in Romeoville, IL. Memorials may be made to the Sisters of St. Francis of Mary Immaculate, 1433 Essington Road, Joliet, IL 60435. For information: 815-741-5500 or www.fredcdames.com