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Elaine Marie Klugiewicz was born in Chicago to Mary (Sikorski) and John Klugiewicz, the second of three children. She was baptized at St. Wenceslaus Church on May 18, 1930, and given the name Elaine. The family lived in St. Wenceslaus Parish on the north side of Chicago. When she turned 6, Elaine began her primary education at St. Wenceslaus School. Later, her family moved, and Elaine found herself in second grade at St. Casimir School, which later became Our Lady of Tepeyac School and Parish and later Mother of the Americas Parish.
Elaine began to think about becoming a teacher and religious sister when she was assigned to look after a second-grade class in eighth grade. After graduation, Elaine enrolled in the local public high school, after which she chose to attend Holy Family Academy, sponsored by the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth. After two years of high school, she decided to enter Nazareth. Within two weeks, Elaine found herself in the Aspirancy Program of the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth.
Elaine continued her education at Holy Family Academy until she became a postulant on August 15, 1947, and entered the novitiate on July 25, 1948, receiving the name of Sister M. Deodata. She pronounced her First Temporary Vows on August 5, 1950, and began her teaching ministry in September at St. Ann School on the south side of Chicago. For the next six years, she taught at Assumption B.V.M. School and St. Michael Archangel School.
Sister Elaine professed Perpetual Vows on August 15, 1956, in Des Plaines, IL, taking the mystery of Victim of Love. She continued her ministry of teaching at St. Michael School. In 1958, she was transferred to Texas, which was a vice-province of the Chicago Sacred Heart Province. She spent the next 12 years there teaching in several elementary schools, namely St. Thomas Aquinas, Holy Family of Nazareth, and St. Luke schools.
While in Texas, Sister returned to the Chicago area during the summer to continue her education, obtaining a Bachelor of Science degree in education from Loyola University and a Master of Arts degree in library science from Rosary College, now Dominican University. Sister Elaine was assigned as high school librarian at St. Ann School, where she ministered for the next six years. In 1978, she was assigned to Holy Family Academy as the librarian. In 1983, she also lived and served as local superior at St. Josaphat Convent. The following year, she was chosen to be a core member at the newly established Nazareth House of Prayer in Schiller Park, where she remained for five years serving also as local superior.
In 1991, Sister Elaine Marie moved to St. Emily Parish Convent in Mount Prospect, IL, while taking a position as director of Religious Education at St. Patrick Parish in Dixon, IL. After six years, Sister Elaine returned to Des Plaines and was appointed local superior at Nazarethville, where she would serve for the next six years. In 2003, she took time for a sabbatical and then returned to religious education as director at St. Patricia Parish in Hickory Hills.
In 2009, Sister was assigned to the Formation Community in Grand Prairie, TX. In 2010, she returned to Des Plaines as part of the Formation Community and worked with the Association of the Holy Family. She retired from active ministry in May 2017 and lived in Divine Love Community. In 2018, Sister Elaine was transferred to Nazarethville as a resident and enjoyed a much-deserved “retired life,” able to relax in the presence of her God recalling with gratitude the many blessings she had received during her long and
fruitful life.
Sister Elaine Marie passed away quietly and peacefully on December 14, 2024, and was laid to rest at All Saints’ Cemetery.
