In Memoriam

May they experience the fullness of life in Christ. . .

Profiles of the Sisters of Notre Dame who entered into eternal life during 2011 and 2012

Sr. Marilyn Kay Borer (aka Sr. M. Boniface) was born into eternal life on January 11, 2012. She was born in Fostoria, Ohio, where she attended St. Wendelin Elementary School and, after she completed the eighth grade, she became an aspirant with the Sisters of Notre Dame in Toledo. Upon graduating from Notre Dame Academy, she entered the Notre Dame community in 1957. She continued her education at Mary Manse College, Toledo, receiving her BA degree and at Marywood University Scranton, Pennsylvania, for her MA in Art. She was naturally creative and, cultivated this gift by continually enrolling in art classes and exploring new methods during her lifetime. She taught for nearly 40 years and spent 15 years in the SND Development Office.

Sr. Mary Johnita Elwer entered eternal life on December 10, 2011. She celebrated her 60th Jubilee in 2009. As a child she attended St. John Elementary School in Delphos, Ohio, where she came under the influence of the Sisters of Notre Dame.  Upon graduation, Sister entered the Aspirant School and attended Notre Dame Academy.  In 1947, she became a novice, and made her profession of vows in August of 1949.  She was a teacher for 52 years who devoted her religious life to educating youngsters, mostly in grades two through four. She also was an aide in the classroom for eight years at Mary Immaculate School, the SND school for children with special needs. Sr. Mary Johnita had a big heart for children who had trouble learning. As a teacher, she learned to play the accordion, ukulele, and dulcimer. She knew the three instruments well enough to play in the classroom and to entertain and to teach. In retirement she was also a seamstress in the convent sewing room for 18 years.

Sr. Theresa Mary Hickey entered Eternal life on August 23, 2011, in her 49th year of religious life. She was known as an optimist and a true friend. Upon graduation in 1960 from Notre Dame Academy, she entered the novitiate and her dream was to serve her sisters in the area of food service, specializing in the area of baking. Her places of ministry include: St. Paul, Norwalk; St. Mary, Sandusky; St. Joesph, Fremont; St. Wendelin, Fostoria, Lial, Whitehouse; St. John, Delphos, Ladyfield, Notre Dame Academy and the Provincial Center in Toledo. She also spent 17 months in food service for the Motherhouse in Rome, Italy. She made it a point to know people by name whether that be SND employees, or the grocery personnel where she shopped. She took an interest in their lives and made them feel special. Theresa Mary had a zest for life. May she rest in peace.

At the age of 101, God called Sr. Mary Theophane Sullivan to himself on June 26, 2011. She was in her 80th year as a Sister of Notre Dame. As a young child she came to know the Sisters of Notre Dame and learned from them a deep love for our Blessed Mother. After attending Notre Dame Academy (NDA), she entered the Congregation of the Sisters of Notre Dame and received the name of Sr. Mary Theophane.   Her younger sister Rita, soon followed her to NDA and the Congregation and became Sr. Mary Bernarda.   She had a “golden touch” with young people. She spent 16 years in elementary education as teacher and/or principal and 25 years in high school education. Notre Dame Academy was blessed with Sr. Mary Theophane’s leadership for fifteen years.  She will also be remembered as the director of the building project at Lial Renewal Center and Convent in the early 1970’s amd serving as local coordinator for many local communities. The Diocese recognized the wisdom and integrity of Sr. Mary Theophane when in 1974 she was appointed by Bishop John A. Donovan to serve a term on the diocesan Court of Equity.  The Court was established to resolve complaints about administrative decisions in the diocese.  Sister’s reputation for being fair-minded and her many years of  administrative leadership made her a good choice to serve in this capacity.

Sr. Mary Annunciata Sutter died on Monday, April 18, 2011, at the age of 87. She celebrated her 65th Jubilee as a Sister of Notre Dame in 2009. She attended Sacred Heart parish school, which was a two-room wood frame building near Shelby, Ohio. Sacred Heart is the oldest Catholic school in Ohio. Sisters of Notre Dame were her teachers and she enjoyed helping them after school and on the weekend when she could. She was known as an excellent teacher and for her love of children. She spent 45 years in elementary education as a teacher or principal at many schools. Even in retirement, she worked as a part-time aide in schools so she could be around children. Sr. Mary Annunciata also loved the Cleveland Indians. Because she knew all of the players, she could easily relate to her junior high students by talking with them about baseball!

Sr. Mary Agnes Link died on January 22, 2011, at the age of 76. She was an enthusiastic teacher of children in grades one and two for 50 years. In December 2010, she was still serving as a teacher’s aide at Norwalk Catholic School-Early Childhood Center, St. Mary Campus, where she ministered for 27 years.

Sr. Mary Agnes found joy in the children and also in each person she met, young or old.  She spent her summer vacations assisting the elderly sisters in the Health Care Center (HCC) at the Toledo Provincial Center. When caught up with her work in the HCC, Sr. Mary Agnes and another sister would have wheelchair races and tell the older sisters and nurses that they were practicing for their old age! When she professed vows in August of 1954, she originally took the name Sr. Mary Dennis Ann.  She became known as “Dennis the Menace” for all her fun and trickery. Her career in teaching began in 1955 at St. Mary, Sandusky. She also taught at Sacred Heart and St. Joseph, Fremont; St. John, Delphos; St. Joseph, Maumee; Immaculate Conception, Bellevue; and Sacred Heart and St. Mary, Toledo.

Sr. Mary Gabrille Priebe died on January 15, 2011. After graduating from Notre Dame Academy in 1961, she entered the postulancy and was invested in August of that year. She graduated from Mary Manse College and spent seven years teaching at St. Mary Sandusky; St. Joseph, Monroeville; St. Joseph, Fremont; and St. John, Delphos. She then attended the Northwest Ohio Practical Nurse Training Center in 1974 and became a Licensed Practical Nurse. Years later she became licensed as a Registered Nurse.  She ministered to the health care needs of her sisters in the health care center and at Lial Convent for more than 30 years. Sr. Mary Gabrille played the accordion, was fun a loving person who enjoyed animals and dressing in costume for any occasion.