“In grade school, I was taught by the Mercy Sisters. I loved them and often walked them home after school. I wanted to know more about them and what made them click!
“I’ve always had a love for music. When I was three years old, I began tap dancing lessons and when I was in second grade, I began piano lessons. In the years that followed, I kept up my love for music and eventually I was asked to help as a substitute playing the organ at Mass.
“When I was in sixth grade, the Mercy Sisters left the parish and school, opening the doors for the School Sisters of St. Francis. Sister Clarissa Klaas became my teacher, and it was this contact that eventually helped me in choosing to enter the School Sisters of St. Francis in Milwaukee.
“As a School Sister, I appreciated attending daily Mass. I’ve always been faithful to my prayer life, and it is an important part of my relationships with God, friends, and family to this day.
“Another life-giving opportunity as a School Sister was to use my talents in my various ministries. Among my ministries were listening, teaching, mentoring, coordinating high school religious education classes, pastoral work in the hospital and in homes, and re-organizing the Rosary Society in my home parish.”
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We’d also like to share what others have said about Sister Dorothy:
“As a teacher, Sister Dorothy was known to be strict but fair. She planned her lessons in such a way that the children found learning fun and always purposeful. Sister Dorothy was a motivator and often challenged her students to do fundraisers for children less fortunate than themselves. A few of the fundraisers raised thousands of dollars over the years, and benefited a number of the School Sisters’ ministries.”
“To use a cliché, Dorothy is a people person. This explains how she maintains friendships from her college days, her 38 years at St. Peter Parish in New York, and the many sisters she lived with on mission over the years. Dorothy is a trusted friend, always there to lend a listening ear or helping hand. If certificates were given out for sending birthday, sympathy, get well, or any kind of greeting card, she would get the award hands down.”
Another cliché also fits Sister Dorothy well: “You can take a sister out of New York, but you cannot take New York out of Sister Dorothy!” And who would even want to?
For recreation, Dorothy loved gardening and she was elated at the sight of the first tomato or green bean. She also loved to try new recipes for main meals, cookies, or cakes, and invited friends to enjoy them.
Dorothy is also a lover of the game Scrabble. She is a superb speller and would question her competitors if a word was misspelled.
In her retirement years, Sister Dorothy has volunteered to sew on names for sisters moving into central houses, or take them off when needed, and accompany sisters to doctor’s appointments or help out wherever she is needed.
To sum up Sister Dorothy’s years as a School Sister, she has lived life to the full, celebrating her blessings and many friendships over these past 90 years. Congratulations, Sister Dorothy, on your 70 years as a School Sister of St. Francis!
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