(1939-2022)

In her eulogy for Sister Helen McAllister, Sister Judy Friedel, Chapter Prioress of the Holy Rosary Mission Chapter, described Sister Helen this way:

Helen was a people-person, a devoted family member, a dedicated teacher and co-worker, a committed family member, friend to many. The four pillars of Dominican life were foundational to her growth as a person. Her life was lived fully, remaining close to family and friends, with a very tender heart for God’s little ones. She loved people, parties, travel.

Helen Diana McAllister was born on March 11, 1939, at Little Company of Mary Hospital in Evergreen Park, Illinois. She was the first child born to Thomas McAllister, who worked as a clerk for the Chicago Stock Exchange, and his wife, Margaret Helen (Paschke).

The family lived in Little Flower Parish, on Chicago’s South Side, until 1941, not long after another daughter, Judy, was born. They then moved to an apartment on South Yale, across the street from St. Carthage Church and School. In time, three more children – Rosemary, Dennis, and Susan – entered the family.

Helen attended Yale Public School for kindergarten and half of first grade and then was enrolled at St. Carthage School. It was here that she first met the Adrian Dominican Sisters, initially in the person of Sister Catherine Siena Fisher, her first-grade teacher. “She was very strict; in fact, I think I was a bit afraid of her,” Sister Helen said in her life story as she recounted the time she got in trouble for talking with her best friend and did not tell her mother about it … only to have both her parents find out from Sister Catherine Siena that same day at an open house.

Read more about Sister Helen (PDF)

Memorial gifts may be made to Adrian Dominican Sisters, 1257 East Siena Heights Drive, Adrian, Michigan, 49221. 

 

 

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(1930-2022)

As I look back, I hear my mother’s quote: “There are many things I can’t do anymore, but I never regret that; I just look back and thank God that I had them and enjoyed them when I did.” My prayer is often a prayer of thanksgiving for all the gifts I have experienced during my life.

These words come near the end of an addition to her life story that Sister Mary Louise Gass wrote, dated “2-22-22, 72nd anniversary of my entrance” into the Congregation.

Mary Louise was born on June 20, 1930, to Gerald and Cecelia (Sack) Gass. She was the couple’s youngest child, following Dolores, seven years older; Gerald Jr., five years older; and Barbara, three years older.

Gerald and Cecelia met in Adrian, where both worked for the Adrian Fence Company although they did not actually meet at work; they met at a Knights of Columbus convention held at St. Joseph Parish. Some of the parish’s young women who were there to serve meals took pictures of the young men attending, and Cecelia took Gerald’s picture and he gave her his address so he could get a print. 

The couple married in Adrian in 1922 and settled in Wyandotte, Michigan, in a home Gerald built next to his mother’s dry goods store. The store later became a dry cleaner which Gerald and a partner operated, and Mary Louise, a self-described tomboy who liked working in her father’s shop more than she liked doing housework, often waited on customers, sorted clothes, and even did some bookkeeping.

Growing up during the Depression years meant hand-me-down clothes and “enough to eat but nothing to waste,” Sister Mary Louise wrote. It was a loving family; Gerald and Cecelia always made time to attend their children’s various plays, recitals, and sporting events, and Dolores, who became a nurse, bought Mary Louise a lavender sweater out of her first paycheck “just because she wanted to.” Still, “law and order” was the rule, especially around the home, school, and church; Sister Mary Louise wrote that because she had spent her early years obeying, she later found the strictness of the postulate and novitiate somewhat easy.

All four of the Gass children attended St. Joseph School in Wyandotte, which was staffed by the Adrian Dominican Sisters. It was here that she discovered her love for mathematics thanks to Sister Michael Ann Glombowski; in her life story, she wrote about the pivotal moment, which came in sixth or seventh grade when the class was asked to solve “3/4 times 12” and she discovered that when a number is multiplied by less than one the answer is smaller than the original number.

Read more about Sister Mary Louise (PDF)

Memorial gifts may be made to Adrian Dominican Sisters, 1257 East Siena Heights Drive, Adrian, Michigan, 49221. 

 

 

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(1933-2022)

With her birth on March 3, 1933, Mary Catherine Nolan became the second of what would eventually be five children born to John David and Leona Marie (Caron) Nolan. She was born after brother John David Jr. and before Joe, who was four years younger, and twins Judy and James, nine years younger and whom she often looked after.

The children grew up in two very different worlds: the South Side of Chicago, where the family lived, and their maternal grandparents’ farm in Minnesota. Leona came from a French Canadian family that had immigrated to Minnesota after purchasing the property thanks to the Homestead Act, and the Nolan children spent summers at the farm, which had no indoor plumbing, heat, or electricity – a far cry from their very urban regular life.

Mary Catherine’s elementary-school years were spent at St. Felicitas School, where she was taught by the Immaculate Heart of Mary (IHM) Sisters. When it came time for high school, a dispute arose between her and her mother: she wanted to attend Aquinas Dominican High because her friends were going there, whereas her mother, who had a great-aunt who was a Mercy Sister, wanted her to go to Mercy High School. Leona thought the Aquinas girls were “social butterflies” whereas the Mercy girls were known for their academics.

According to the story Sister Mary Catherine told in her February 2018 “A Sister’s Story” video, she ran upstairs to her room, knelt by her bed, and opened her eighth-grade religion book coincidentally to a picture of St. Albertus Magnus in his Dominican habit. She told St. Albertus she wanted to go to Aquinas and asked for his help, and shortly thereafter her mother came to the stairs and called up to her that if she wanted to go to Aquinas she could, but she had to keep her grades up.

Read more about Sister Mary Catherine (PDF)

Memorial gifts may be made to Adrian Dominican Sisters, 1257 East Siena Heights Drive, Adrian, Michigan, 49221. 
 

 

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(1953-2022)

Peggy Treece Myles was born on January 8, 1953, in Findlay, Ohio, to Jasper and Thelma Treece. She is survived by her sister, Janet Koehl, and her brother Jack, and was predeceased by her brother Eugene (Homer).

Peggy grew up with a love of learning. She received a bachelor’s degree from Findlay College, a master’s degree from Bowling Green State University, and a doctorate from the University of Toledo.

Peggy met her beloved husband, John, while in graduate school. They married in 1980 and lived in Wauseon, Ohio. They traveled often, especially to Maine, where they had dear friends.

A life-long learner and an educator, Peggy’s accomplishments are many. While working on her dissertation, she was introduced to Sister Miriam (Michael) Stimson, OP, who felt that Peggy was a great fit as an adjunct professor on research methodology at Siena Heights College (now University) in Adrian. Through this connection, Peggy was introduced to our Sisters and eventually to Associate Life.

The Adrian Dominican Sisters’ Vision to “seek, truth, make peace, and reverence life” spoke to Peggy profoundly. When Sister Miriam retired from her position as Director of Graduate Studies, Peggy succeeded her. Peggy met Sister Anthonita Porta, OP, founder and director of the Adrian Dominican Montessori Teacher Education Institute. Peggy served as president of the board and Sister Anthonita became her dear friend and mentor. Peggy joined Associate Life in 2001.

For many years, Peggy participated in the New Hope Mission Group and was the only Associate. She was the permanent secretary and worked on projects with Mary Jane Lubinski, OP, Chapter Prioress of Adrian Crossroads Mission Chapter. She embraced every pillar of the Dominican Charism: Prayer, Study, Community, and Service.

From 2009 until the time of the COVID-19 pandemic, Peggy came monthly to Madden Hall to meet with other Associates and participate in a book group. She also worked behind the scenes for many of our Partners gatherings. We could rely on her to give an informed, prayerful response and was generous with her time and talents. Each year, she helped to ensure that every Sister received a Christmas card.

Peggy volunteered at the Ten Thousand Villages store, a not-for-profit fair-trade store. She continued to coach and mentor students working on their dissertations and was involved with Dining for Women. Participants gathered monthly for a potluck dinner and a program about a project in a developing or emerging country. The women donated the money saved through the potluck to the project they studied.

A prolific reader, Peggy studied many publications each month, remaining current on the state of the world in the areas of climate change, immigration, diversity, politics, and the marginalization of peoples.

Peggy also enjoyed sewing, gardening, and watching PBS and BBC. She was a devoted fan of actor Mark Harmon, of NCIS. She participated in the Lands of Dominic and traveled to 27 states, as well as Canada, France, and Spain. She also participated in marches and demonstrations, such as the Women’s March on Washington, D.C.

The last year brought a lot of health challenges to Peggy. She really didn’t want anyone to fuss over her as she battled cancer, which took her life on September 9, 2022.

Peggy leaves a legacy of service, love, devotion, and excellence. 

 

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