(1928-2018)

When a Sister from Dominican High School dies, I generally post it on Facebook so former students are aware, and a lot of times they respond. When I posted that SMEB (they called her that because she signed her hall passes SMEB for Sister Mary Ellen Brodeur) had entered eternal life, many students responded to my post. One of the things they wrote over and over was “Great teacher! RIH SMEB.” At first, I thought that was a typo but then it kept appearing over and over and finally, one of the students wrote, “Rest in Heaven, SMEB.” I like that. To me, it signified their confidence that she had indeed gone to her eternal reward and now rests peacefully with the God who created her.

These words were part of the remembrance of Sister Mary Ellen Brodeur that Sister Mariane Fahlman shared at Mary Ellen’s wake on September 16, 2018. Sister Mary Ellen taught at Dominican High School in Detroit for twenty-nine years, capping off a teaching ministry that spanned a half-century.

Sister Mary Ellen was born on June 10, 1928, in Detroit to Edward Joseph and Anna Marie (Ternes) Brodeur. Edward, who was born in Hancock, Michigan, was a foreman at the Packard Motor Car Company, while Anna, a native of New York City, was a homemaker. The family lived down the street from Guardian Angels Church, and the children all attended the parish grade school. Sister Mary Ellen, the second oldest child, was the only girl in the family; she had four brothers: Donald, the eldest; Bob, Norm, and Charles.

Read more about Sister Mary Ellen (PDF)

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

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