Mary Catherine Kearney, age 92, of Chicago, Illinois passed away on July 23, 2021. Throughout her teaching career, Mary Catherine was a Sister, and later an Associate, of the School Sisters of St. Francis based in Milwaukee,Wisconsin. Her teaching career spanned 53 years and included schools in rural Wisconsin, New York City, Chicago, and Claremont, CA. She taught elementary school and also citizenship classes to immigrants. She was a guidance counselor and principal. In later years, she pursued her artistic interests in painting and music. She was an avid dog lover and, for many years, she started her day with a 4-mile hike with her German Shepherd, Katie. She also enjoyed pickup basketball with her great-nephews. Mary Catherine incorporated play-on-words rhyming jokes into conversations, even during difficult times. She loved to remember and share stories about life growing up in the Kearney family. She was deeply spiritual and was devoted to the pursuit of peace, justice, and love. She will be remembered by family, friends, and associates for her kindness and cheerfulness. Mary Catherine was born on February 4, 1929 in Chicago to her loving parents the late Thomas and Helen (nee Schmidt) Kearney. She was a dear sister of Marlene Olson, the late Bernadette Paulus, Thomas "Bud" Kearney, Isabelle "Babe" O'Malley, Dolores Schleiter, and John "Jack" Kearney. She is survived by very many loving nieces and nephews. Visitation and funeral mass will be held on Saturday, July 31, 2021 at St. Mary Catholic Church, 794 Pearson Street, Des Plaines, IL 60016. V isitation will begin at 9:00 a.m. followed by a 10:00 a.m. mass. Upon completion of mass we will proceed in procession to Mary Catherine's final resting place in All Saints Catholic Cemetery, 700 River Road, Des Plaines, IL. In lieu of flowers, please contribute to the School Sisters of St. Francis in memory of Mary Catherine Kearney: School Sisters of St. Francis, Mission Advancement Office, 1501 S. Layton Blvd., Milwaukee, WI 53215., https://supportoursssfmission21669.thankyou4caring.org/

For information please call the funeral home at (847) 699-9003.