Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul West Central Province
Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul West Central Province
Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul West Central Province
Postings will remain online for one year.
Sr. Agnes Savoie, age 90, died on Tuesday, March 30, 2010 at the Sarah Community in Bridgeton, Missouri. Ledora Antoinette was one of five children born to Addiss and Marguerite Savoie on May 18, 1919 in Houma, Louisiana. She entered the Daughters of Charity in August 1937.
As a Daughter of Charity, Sr. Agnes received her Bachelor's Degree in Education from Fontbonne College and her Masters in Education from St. Louis University. She taught in both primary and elementary schools in St. Louis, New Orleans and Donaldsonville, Louisiana. In her later years she volunteered and tutored at St. Louis and Forest Park Community Colleges. At the time of her death, Sr. Agnes was serving in the Ministry of Prayer at Anna House in Bridgeton, Missouri.
Sister Ignatia O’Rourke died at Seton Residence on Saturday, March 20, 2010. Sr. Ignatia (Catherine) was born on July 11, 1915 in New Orleans, Louisiana. She was one of three children born to Robert and Mary O’Shaughnessy O’Rourke. She received a diploma from Saint Mary’s Dominican High School in New Orleans in 1930 and a PhB (Bachelor of Philosophy) from Loyola University, New Orleans in 1936. Before joining the Daughters of Charity on June 24, 1938 in St. Louis, Missouri, she taught in the Public School system. After a period of formation Sister was sent to St. Patrick’s High School, Chicago, Illinois where she received a Bachelor of Science degree in Library Science from Rosary College, River Forest, Illinois. This began a series of educational experiences as a High School teacher at Laboure High School in St. Louis, St. Vincent’s High School in San Francisco, California, Immaculate Conception Academy in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico and Providence School in St. Louis.
Sr. Ignatia began her administrative role as a Secondary Principal at St. Joseph High School in New Orleans and Laboure High School in St. Louis. In 1968 and 1979 she served as an Official translator at the Daughters of Charity General Assemblies in Rome, Italy. This experience also brought her to Madrid, Spain. She served several times as a delegate to the Provincial Assemblies. From 1972 to 1993 she taught at many of the Community’s schools in Texas, Louisiana and Missouri. In 1994 Sr. Ignatia was the Provincial archivist and later was the Librarian at Marillac Provincial House in St. Louis. In 1999 she ministered in Pastoral Care at Saint Paul’s Medical Center in Dallas, Texas and later she tutored children at the Fisk Howard Elementary School while residing at Malta Square in New Orleans. She moved to Seton Residence in 2007 and until her death served as a Minister of Prayer. While at Seton she was happy to lend her talent in Spanish with the Seminary Sisters.
Sr. Rose Ann McNamee, age 94, died on Sunday, December 13, 2009. Veronica Marie (Sr. Rose Ann) was one of three children born to Edward and Rose Ann McNamee in Chicago, Illinois on September 21, 1915. She entered the Daughters of Charity in May, 1934.
As a Daughter of Charity, Sr. Rose Ann received her Bachelor of Science in Home Economics and Business Education from Fontbonne College in St. Louis. She taught in both elementary and secondary schools in Perryville and St. Louis Missouri, Natchez, Mississippi and Austin, Texas. Sr. Rose Ann later worked as Receptionist/Information Clerk and in the Admitting Department at hospitals in St. Louis and Austin. At the time of her death, Sr. Rose Ann was serving in the Ministry of Prayer at Anna House in Bridgeton, Missouri.
Sr. Jane Hamilton, age 81, died at Seton Residence on Saturday, December 5, 2009. Sr. Jane (Jane Teresa) was born in St. Louis, Missouri on September 30, 1928. She was one of five children born to Harold and Margaret Kreienbaum Hamilton.
Sr. Jane completed her education in St. Louis and entered the Daughters of Charity on December 2, 1946. She was given the name Sister Laboure. Sister's first assignment was to St. Joseph School in Natchez, Mississippi in 1947. In 1953 she was sent to St. Vincent de Paul School in San Francisco, California. In 1955 she obtained a Bachelor's Degree from Fontbonne College in St. Louis. Sr. Jane continued her teaching ministry at St. Vincent School, Perryville, Missouri and at St. Matthias School in St. Louis.
In 1973 she was missioned to St. Leo Center in San Antonio, Texas and became a Pastoral Minister. in 1975 she received a Master's Degree in Religious Education from the University of St. Thomas in Houston, Texas and was assigned to minister in Cotulla, Texas, Scottsbluff, Nebraska and Pawhuska, Oklahoma. In 1984 Sr. Jane was sent to St. Mary's Hospital/Health Center in St. Louis as a CPE student. She then served in Pastoral Care at St. Paul's Medical in Dallas, Texas. In 1994 she was assigned to University Hospice Hospital in New Orleans, Louisiana. In 200 Sr. Jane went to Anna House in Bridgeton, Missouri to assist Senior Sisters. In July of 2005 she went to Seton Residence where she continued her Ministry of Prayer.
“My ministry as a pastoral counselor is to help the dying find peace with God, self, family and friends. The bereaved have taught me so much about life, faith, vulnerability and strength of spirit…It has changed my life.”
- Sister Jane Hamilton
Sr. Mary Patrice Murray, age 68, died on Sunday, June 14, 2009. Mary Patricia was the older of two daughters born to Daniel and Lillian Harrington Murray in San Francisco, CA on April 8, 1941. Sr. Mary Patrice entered Postulatum in St. Louis on September 1, 1959.
As a Daughter of Charity, Sr. Mary Patrice received her Bachelor of Arts in History from Marillac College in St. Louis, and later earned Masters in Religious Studies from St. Louis University in 1976, Masters in Education Administration from the University of Missouri, St. Louis in 1980, and Masters in Private School Administration in 1994 from the University of San Francisco. At the time of her death, Sr. Mary Patrice worked in the Provincial Archives at Marillac Provincialate, St. Louis, MO.
Over the years, Sr. Mary Patrice served as:
"What I love about being a Daughter of Charity is belonging to a community I love and admire. I stand in awe sometimes at the incredible women who have gone before us and those who are forging us into the future. What energizes me about my ministry is service and hope to continue the Vincentian story."
- Sister Mary Patrice Murray, February 21, 2009
Sr. Mary Thomas McNeela, age 87, died at Seton Residence in Evansville, IN on April 15, 2009. Sr. Mary Thomas was born on December 7, 1921 in Chicago, IL. She was one of nine children born to Thomas and Ellen McNeela. After her graduation from St. Patrick High School in Chicago, she became a postulant with the Daughters of Charity in June 1939.
As a Daughter of Charity, Sr. Mary Thomas completed a Bachelor of Arts Degree in history from Fontbonne College in St. Louis, MO followed by earning a Masters Degree in Social Work, majoring in child welfare from St. Louis University.
Sr. Mary Thomas served as an elementary teacher, housemother and teacher at L.A. Orphan Asylum in Los Angeles and later as administrator there and then on to Mount St. Joseph in San Francisco in the same position. She went on to serve as a Councillor the St. Louis Province for 10 years. She served as a social worker in several agencies, as director of Catholic Charities in Odessa, TX, as an executive director at Guardian Angel Settlement in St. Louis, MO and as a volunteer at St. Vincent de Paul Society in San Antonio, TX. Most recently she moved to Seton Residence in Evansville where she became active in the ministry of prayer.
"Those I serve have taught me so much about God. They have taught me to pray in the simplicity of their approach to their God. Their tremendous trust in Him is a constant stimulus to me. I know I could never contend with what they endure from day to day. Their suffering endured with faith is a daily incentive to me to serve that life can be better for them."
- Sister Mary Thomas McNeela
Sr. Virginia Dunker, age 74, died on Thursday, February 26, 2009. Virginia was the oldest of three children born to Barnwell and Hazel Brown Dunker in Perryville, MO on November 15, 1934. Sr. Virginia received her early education in Perryville and graduated from St. Vincent High School in 1952. She entered the Daughters of Charity in St. Louis on June 1, 1952.
As a Daughter of Charity, Sr. Virginia received her Bachelor of Arts in History from Marillac College in St. Louis, and later her Masters in Religious Education from the University of St. Thomas in Houston, Texas. At the time of her death, Sr. Virginia worked for the Arkansas Department of Corrections in Gould as a Literacy Tutor and volunteered at St. Catherine’s House in Little Rock.
Sr. Virginia served as an elementary and middle grades teacher; Director of Religious Education in parishes in Oklahoma, Little Rock, Chicago, Phoenix, Louisiana, Iowa, and St. Louis, and volunteered at the Helping Hand of Greater Little Rock. She also worked as a Docent/Hostess at the Elizabeth Ann Seton Shrine in Emmitsburg, Maryland.
"What energizes me about my ministry is the opportunity to work with inmates in a men's state prison. I work in the school department of the prison and work individually with inmates who need extra help in learning to read better. They are very responsive and grateful for the added help I am able to give them."
- Sister Virginia Dunker, February 21, 2009
Sr. Mary Teresa Huber, age 93, died at DePaul Health Center in Bridgeton, MO on Wednesday, January 21, 2009. Cordelia Theresa was one of three children born to Theodore and Theresa Brown Huber in Perryville, Missouri on July 13, 1915. Sr. Mary Teresa received her early education in Perryville and graduated from St. Vincent High School in 1933. She entered the Daughters of Charity in St. Louis on September 30, 1933.
As a Daughter of Charity, Sr. Mary Teresa received her Bachelor of Arts in Education from Fontbonne College in St. Louis, and later her Masters in Education from Loyola University in New Orleans, Louisiana.
During her 75 years in ministry as a Daughter of Charity, Sr. Mary Teresa taught as a primary, elementary and middle grade teacher and principal in Alabama, Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, New Orleans, Illinois, Washington state, Texas, West Plains and Perryville, MO. She also served as Sister Servant of her local communities in New Orleans, LaSalle, IL and Ephrata, WA. Most recently she lived in Maryland Heights, MO and was involved in the Ministry of Prayer.