(1936-2020)

“Mary was petite of stature, extra-large of heart and hospitality.”

So began the eulogy for Sister Mary Trzasko by Sister Mary Jane Lubinski, Adrian Crossroads Chapter Prioress, at Sister Mary’s Ritual of Remembering. “Her life, particularly her life in ministry, was transformed by this saying from Isaiah,” Sister Mary Jane continued. “It became a touchstone for her, assuring her she was on the right path: ‘Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?’”

Sister Mary was born on September 28, 1936, in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, to Joseph and Anna (Stelmach) Trzasko. She was the second of four children; Joe was the oldest, followed three years later by Mary, then Joan, and finally Raymond. Another daughter died at just a few days old.

Her early childhood was a time of (mostly) happy memories in a close-knit family, memories that included sleigh rides, walks with her mother, helping her father plant tomatoes, family picnics, and playing with her friends and her cousins who lived next door. On the not-so-happy side, she also experienced almost drowning in a lake, chicken pox, her grandmother’s wake at their house, and much less traumatic things such as not liking white milk and having to stand and be fitted for new dresses. She also suffered from ear aches, which caused her to miss quite a bit of school, until getting her adenoids removed solved the problem.

Read more about Sister Mary (pdf)

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

 

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