Sister Jacqueline Marie Merz, SSND
CHATAWA – Sister Jacqueline Marie Merz, SSND, died on Sunday, May 4, at St. Mary of the Pines retreat center. She was born on Feb. 18, 1936, in Effingham, Ill. She professed her first vows in 1956.
Sister Merz held masters degrees in economics, business education and theology and served  in schools in Illinois, Missouri and Louisiana before becoming the associate director of religious education for the Diocese of Dallas-Fort Worth.
Sister also served on a North American Spiritual Development team and was the provincial leader for her order for two terms. In Mississippi she served as the administrator of St. Mary of the Pines and was a pastoral assistant in Gluckstadt where she was also a founding member of the Notre Dame Education Center in Canton.
She retired to Chatawa in 2011. Her parents preceeded her in death. She is survived by her two sisters and nieces and nephews. Father Brian Kaskie celebrated her funeral Mass on Wednesday, May 7. She is buried in the Chatawa Cemetery. Memorials can be made to St. Mary of the Pines, Chatawa, MS, 39657.

Sister Bettean McDermott, SMSM
SOUTHAVEN – Sister Betteann McDermott, SMSM, (formerly, Sister Mary Noelita), program coordinator for Sacred Heart Southern Mission (SHSM)HIV/AIDS ministry, died the afternoon of Monday, May 5.
Sister McDermott made her first vows as a Missionary Sister of the Society of Mary (Marist Missionary Sisters) on Feb. 2, 1954. Her early ministerial assignments were in Fiji, where she taught and ministered for 23 years. She then went to Memphis where she was part of parish ministries until 1989.
In 1997, She returned to the Mid-South, where she served in positions of leadership at Memphis St. Patrick Catholic School and Parish until joining SHSM in 2005 to run the HIV/AIDS outreach program.
In February of this year, Sister celebrated her 60th jubilee of consecrated life. The community celebrated a funeral Mass on Friday, May 9, at Memphis St. Patrick Parish.