Recent Deaths

Sister Bonnie Alho
1942–2017

Sister Bonnie Alho, 74, died peacefully on Jan. 28, 2017 at Dove Healthcare in Rice Lake, Wis., following a short battle with liver cancer.

She was born in Superior, Wis., on Feb. 6, 1942, to Jack and Agnes (Osman) Alho, the oldest of two children. She joined the Ladysmith Servite Sisters in 1958 as a high school junior. When she became a novice in 1960, she received the name Sister Mary Thaddeus. She later returned to her baptismal name.

She earned a bachelor's in education from Mount Senario College, Ladysmith, a master's in religious education from St. Thomas University, Houston, and a certificate in clinical pastoral education from St. Francis Hospital, La Crosse. She also participated in the Ministry to Ministers program at Oblate School of Theology, San Antonio.

She taught for eleven years in Catholic elementary schools in Illinois, Minnesota, New Jersey, and Wisconsin. She served for eleven years on the staff of the Diocese of Superior's Religious Education Department. She ministered for ten years as director of religious education at our Lady of Sorrows Parish, Ladysmith, and for thirteen years as pastoral associate at St. Joseph Parish, Rice Lake.

In the Diocese of Superior, she served on the Diocesan Deacon Board and the Superior Mutual Ministry Team. She helped establish the Marriage Encounter program and the Teens Encounter Christ, Fiat, and Quest programs for teenagers. She helped organize the Wisconsin Directors of Religious Education Federation and served on its board. She also served as assistant to the Saint Peregrine Community of Secular Servites. An avid sports fan, she especially enjoyed cheering on the Green Bay Packers.

She is survived by her brother Gregg, nephew Kieran, niece Tammie, and Servite Sisters.

She was preceded in death by her parents.

Visitation and a Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on February 1, 2017, at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Rice Lake. Her former pastor at St. Joseph's, Bishop James Powers, officiated. Burial was in the convent cemetery in Ladysmith.

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