3.10.2009

Sister Loretta

We're saying goodbye to our eldest Sister this week. Sister Loretta would have turned 99 years old this June, but she decided to celebrate that birthday in heaven. (Although there is some confusion as to what year she was actually born).

The picture is from this past Christmas Eve. We have a tradition that the eldest Sister in the community brings the baby Jesus up to the creche. That's himself getting a ride on Loretta's walker!

Sister Loretta joined the community in 1927. She is the last of the "PEI Girls" - a group of young women who traveled all the way from Prince Edward Island, Canada to Bellingham, Washington to join the community back in 1927.

I will miss Loretta's smiling face and peaceful presence as she would scoot all over the house with the aid of her speedy walker. In the years that I've known her, I've mostly spent time with her in the dining room. I would always joke that she should be on a commercial for Eggo Waffles, because she loved them and I think she's been living off of them, and not much else, for many years now!

Sister Loretta passed away peacefully on Monday morning. We'll be saying goodbye to her this weekend, which happens to be our community assembly weekend. I'm sure I'll hear lots of great stories about Loretta over the next few days.

2 comments:

Garpu said...

I'm sorry to hear...she sounded like a wonderful person.

Pachyderm said...

Thinking of you. Losing a sister is such a weird experience: sad, because we love them and were our friends/family, but also funny (because all kinds of stories come out of the woodwork!), wonderful because they have gone to the God they love, and such a community experience. May your Sister rest in peace and rise in glory.

Pax
Robyn tssf