(1940-2024)

Sister Jean Marie Lehtinen, baptized Mary Jane Lehtinen, died on Tuesday, December 10, 2024, at the Dominican Life Center in Adrian, Michigan. She was 84 years of age and in the 63rd year of her religious profession: 41 years in the Edmonds Dominican Congregation and in her 22nd year in the Adrian Dominican Congregation, after the Edmonds and Adrian Congregations merged in 2003.

Sister Jean Marie was born in Seattle, Washington, to William J. and Anne E. (Heider) Lehtinen. She graduated from Blanchet High School in Seattle and obtained a bachelor’s degree in social studies from Seattle University in Issaquah, Washington; a master’s degree in theology from St. Mary College in Moraga, California; a master’s degree in pastoral ministry from Seattle University in Seattle; and a master’s degree in adult education from the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada. 

Sister Jean Marie spent seven years ministering in education in Seattle, Hoquiam, and Chehalis, Washington. She served the Edmonds Dominican Sisters from 1972 to 1975 as the director of retirement programs, from 1975 to 1977 on the Catherine of Siena Center staff in Seattle, and from 1994 to 1998 as ministry coordinator on the Congregation leadership team. She then served from 2013 to 2015 as the administrative assistant to the Adrian Dominicans’ Mid-Atlantic Chapter Office and several months ministering in pastoral work with the Our Lady of Remedies Chapter in San Fernando Pampanga, Philippines.

Sister ministered from 1977 to1980 as associate director of adult religious education and from 1980 to1981 as the director of religious education, both at the Archdiocese of Denver, Colorado, and then from 1981 to 1985 was the director of religious education at St. Thomas Seminary in Denver. She ministered from 1988 to 1994 for the Diocese of Toledo, Ohio, as the director of lay ministry and formation and from 2000 to 2004 as the director of mission effectiveness for the Dominican Sisters of Great Bend, Kansas. She also ministered from 2005 to 2013 for the Diocese of Prince George, British Columbia. 

Sister Jean Marie became a resident of the Dominican Life Center in 2019. She was preceded in death by her parents; her brothers Don, Paul, Ronald, Samuel, and William; and a sister, Jean Ann McVay.  She is survived by a sister, Christine Singleterry (Don); a brother, Phil Lehtinen (Pam) of Shoreline, Washington; and her Adrian Dominican Sisters.

Prayers of Committal were held at 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, December 11, 2024, in the Congregation Cemetery. A Memorial Mass will be offered in St. Catherine Chapel at a later date. 

Those not attending the upcoming services in person are welcome to participate via live stream at https://adriandominicans.org/Live-Stream.

Memorial gifts may be made to Adrian Dominican Sisters, 1257 East Siena Heights Drive, Adrian, MI, 49221. Funeral arrangements are being handled by Anderson-Marry Funeral Home, Adrian.

 

LEFT: Baby Mary Jane, 1940. MIDDLE LEFT: Mary Jane, circa 1943. MIDDLE RIGHT: First Communion, circa 1947.

LEFT: As a Postulant with the Edmonds Dominican Sisters, 1959. 

LEFT: From left, Sisters Beverly Bobola and Jean Marie Lehtinen, Bishop Gerald Wiesner, OMI, and Sister Tarianne DeYonker, Diocese of Prince George, British Columbia, Canada. RIGHT: Participating in the Angel Tree at the Adrian Historical Society are, from left, Sisters Jean Marie Lehtinen, Beverly Bobola, Paul James Villemure, and Mary White.

LEFT: Members of the Prince George, British Columbia community, from left, Sisters Jean Marie Lehtinen, Kathleen Nolan, Jude Van Baalen, and Beverly Bobola, November 2010. RIGHT: Members of the 1994-1997 Leadership Team for the Edmonds Dominican Sisters are, from right, Sisters Judith Byron, Maureen Rose, Jean Marie Lehtinen, and Dorothy Berg.

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