Now let your servant go in peace...
Friday morning February 13 Marianist sister Christine Marie Stevens passed away in her sleep... peacefully, but quite unexpectantly. She was a sister who lived here in Dayton, but did not live with us in community due to health issues. She lived in a sort of assisted living apartment, but always came home for Mass and supper once a week with the community.
This is our second loss in a month's time. It's never easy to say good-bye to a sister. It's even more difficult when there are more than one in such a short time. Because we, the Marianist sisters, have not been in the US for a long period of time (our province is 60 years old), this is the first sister to pass away in Dayton.
As we are busy about making preparations and phone calls... and going through Sr. Chris's personal effects, we also recall the gift she was to the Marianist family. A wonderfully creative person, she was a stellar artist and musician. She taught for a number of years - both art and band - and served as spiritual companion to many.
Here are some words from her obituary:
Sr. Christine entered the Marianist Sisters on July 16, 1959, professed first vows August 22, 1962, and perpetual vows on August 22, 1965, all in San Antonio, TX. She received a BA in Music in 1956 from The Ohio State University and an MA in Sacred Doctrine from St. Mary’s University, San Antonio in 1969. Sr. Christine taught in Catholic schools in San Antonio and Dayton for 26 years. She began her teaching career at St. James School, San Antonio in 1963 before moving to Dayton where she taught at Alter High School. In the summers, Sr. Christine worked with the Edgemont Community Garden and programs for inner city youth. Sr. Christine moved into pastoral ministry, beginning as a Campus Minister at the University of Dayton, serving on the retreat team at the Marianist Apostolic Center in Glencoe MO and returning to Campus Ministry at Christian Brothers’ College in Memphis Tennessee. For 9 years she was a parish minister at Guardian Angels Parish in Cincinnati, OH. In 1990 Chris returned to Dayton, this time specializing in Band development in the Catholic schools. In 1997, Sr. Christine started teaching art at Ascension Catholic School, the position from which she retired in 2006. In her retirement, Sr. Christine took joy in volunteering at We Care Arts, playing clarinet in the New Horizons Jazz Band at the University of Dayton, and sharing life with the residents of Twin Towers and Huffman Place
May our Sister Christine rest in God.
Blessings,
Sr. N
