Sister Pacis Bao, OSF (age 104), died today at 6:25 a.m. at HSHS St. John’s Hospital, Springfield, IL.

Sister Pacis, the former Catherine (Bao Yuan Ying), was born in Fei cheng Bao-kia-tang-tze, Shan-Tung, China, on April 8, 1921, the daughter of Bao Tsing Ben and Bao Chang Shih. She entered the Hospital Sisters of St. Francis on September 8, 1944, and professed her religious vows on September 24, 1947, at St. Joseph’s Hospital, Jinan, China. On May 12, 1948, she and several of the Hospital Sisters of St. Francis serving there fled China and sailed on the SS General Meigs to San Francisco, CA. They arrived at St. Francis Convent, Springfield, on June 5, 1948.

Sister Pacis was a 1963 graduate of St. John’s Hospital School of Nursing. She served as a nurse at St. John’s Hospital, Springfield, and St. Vincent Hospital, Green Bay, WI. On August 8, 1968, she and four other Chinese Sisters began caring for the sick in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, at the Star of the Sea Clinic. Sister Pacis served there until August 2002, at which time she returned to Springfield.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by two sisters and four brothers. She is survived by her great-nephews and their families, as well as her Franciscan Sisters, with whom she shared her life for more than 80 years.

The Visitation will be held at St. Francis Convent from 4-7 p.m. on Thursday, January 22, 2026, with a Wake Service at 6 p.m. The Eucharistic Celebration and Rite of Christian Burial will be celebrated by Father Joseph Jiang on Friday, January 23, 2026, at 11 a.m. in the St. Clare of Assisi Adoration Chapel with burial in Crucifixion Hill Cemetery at St. Francis Convent.

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Staab Funeral Home will oversee arrangements.

Sister Sherrey Murphy, OSF (age 83), died on Thursday, January 8, 2026, at 8:20 a.m. at St. Francis Convent, Springfield, IL.

Sister Sherrey was born in Mitchell, SD, on June 15, 1942, the daughter of Francis A. and Eileen A. (Dunn) Murphy. She entered the Hospital Sisters of St. Francis on September 5, 1965, and professed her first vows on August 22, 1968.

Sister Sherrey’s religious life encompassed a variety of ministries. Most notably, she served the international congregation of the Hospital Sisters of the Third Order Regular of St. Francis in Muenster, Germany, as the General Superior from 2006-18 and as a General Councilor from 1994-2006. Before this, she held responsibilities in administration, vocations, and formation at St. Francis Convent, along with nursing and administration responsibilities at St. Vincent Hospital (Green Bay, WI), St. John's Hospital (Springfield, IL), and St. Mary's Hospital (Decatur, IL).

Sister Sherrey was a 1963 graduate of St. Joseph Mercy School of Nursing, Sioux City, IA. She earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Marillac College in 1970 and a master’s degree in administration from the University of Notre Dame in 1988.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by a brother, James Murphy. She is survived by sisters Colleen Moerke and Peggy Fischer; brothers Patrick, Michael, and Daniel; several nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews, as well as her Franciscan Sisters with whom she shared her life for 61 years.

The Visitation will be held at St. Francis Convent from 4-7 p.m. on Sunday, January 11, 2026, with a Wake Service at 6 p.m. The Eucharistic Celebration and Rite of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Monday, January 12, 2026, at 10 a.m. in the St. Clare of Assisi Adoration Chapel with burial in Crucifixion Hill Cemetery at St. Francis Convent.

Butler Funeral Home will oversee arrangements.

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