Lucy Margaret St. Hilaire, SP
November 13, 1929 - March 7, 2013
Obituary
Lucy Margaret St. Hilaire, SP
(Name in Religion: Sister Marisita)
Sr. Lucy St. Hilaire died on March, 7, 2013 at St. Joseph Residence, Seattle, WA, at 83 years of age after 64 years as a Sister of Providence. Vigil Service: March 17, 2013, 7:00 pm, St. Joseph Residence, 4800 37th Avenue SW, Seattle, WA. Funeral Mass: March 18, 2013, 11:00 a.m., Mount St. Vincent Chapel, 4831 35th Avenue SW, Seattle, WA. Burial: Calvary Cemetery, Seattle, WA following the Mass and luncheon. Bonney-Watson Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.
Sr. Lucy was the second of eight children born to Leo and Helen (Kohls) St. Hilaire on November 13, 1929 in Yakima, WA. The family lived on a farm near Wapato, WA. She attended elementary grades and high school at St. Joseph Academy, Yakima, WA and was taught by the Sisters of Providence.
She entered the novitiate of the Sisters of Providence on January 18, 1949, made her first profession on July 19, 1950, and her final vows on July 19, 1954. Two of her aunts served in religious communities – Sr. Chrysostom Kohls, CSJ, Carondelet Sisters of St. Joseph of Minnesota and Sr. Alice Mary St. Hilaire, SP. One of her uncles, Reverend Harry Kohls, was a Jesuit Priest.
Her academic accomplishments included: B.A., College of Great Falls, MT (now known as University of Great Falls)–1958; Elementary Teaching Certificate, Seattle University, Seattle, WA–1961; M.A., Seattle University, Seattle, WA–1963. She studied art at Mount St. Mary College in Los Angeles, 1975-76. She did a six-month internship in pastoral care at Providence St. Vincent Medical Center, Portland, OR, followed by a year’s educational training at St. Francis Medical Center, LaCrosse, WI, 1983-84. She attended numerous educational conferences in Washington, California, New York, Arizona, Missouri, Oregon, Illinois, Washington, D.C., Quebec, and Rome, 1959–1997.
In Washington, Lucy taught at the following schools: Holy Family School and John F. Kennedy High School (teacher and Dean of Studies-10 yrs), Seattle; St. Michael School, Olympia; Providence Academy, Our Lady of Lourdes Grade School, and St. James School, Vancouver. She also taught at Maryville Academy, Des Plaines, Illinois.
Sr. Lucy served five years on the Administrative Team at St. Joseph Residence in Seattle, WA. She was a member of the National Association of Catholic Chaplains and served as a chaplain at St. Vincent Medical Center, Portland, OR, 1984-1999. She retired in 1999. She volunteered at Providence Child Center and was a team member of RCIA at All Saints Church (2003-2011) in Portland, OR. She also read to the blind.
Sr. Lucy’s interests included pottery, quilt-making, oil painting, stitching projects, and gardening.
Sr. Lucy is preceded in death by her parents and her brothers, Thomas and James. She is survived by her sisters, Alice St. Hilaire, SP, Yakima, WA; Mary Roy (Leonard), Moxee, WA; her brothers, Timothy (Patricia), Harrah, WA; Paul (Krista), Wapato, WA; Theodore (Katherine), Marysville, WA; sisters-in-law, Rosemarie St. Hilaire and Shar St. Hilaire, and many nieces and nephews.
Memorial contributions may be made in her honor to the Sisters of Providence Retirement Fund, 1801 Lind Avenue SW, #9016, Renton, WA 98057-9016.
Aunt Lucy you will be missed by so many you touched in your life of ministry!
Sister Lucy was a true servant leader. Some years ago when I was working for Providence in Portland, Oregon, I put out a call for volunteers to help with a rather menial task. Sister Lucy was one of three sisters who appeared, ready to serve. I was so surprised, then grateful, then impressed. I think she was on all the volunteer lists! To me, this is a great part of her legacy. Blessings to her family and to her community at this time of loss.
Beautiful Lady.. I remember her smile and genuine love for people. She will be greatly missed..
I am grateful for getting to know Sr. Lucy during my time at All Saints Parish, in the shadow of Portland’s Providence Hospital. I appreciated her gifts of joy, hope, and wisdom. She embodied the charisms of the Sisters of Providence. May she rest in peace.
Ted, Alice and family.
I mourn with you Sr. Lucy’s passing. Wish I could make the serivce(s) but both have conflicts for me. Your family has been big in my life ;I became much closer to Lucy when in Portland in 95-6; she often came to Loyola retreat center for daily mass and other events…and I saw her at the hospital. In my present job for the past 15 years, I have come to know that Providence provides and I’m sure that wil lbring consolation as you say farewell to Lucy.
love and prayers, Pat.
Sr. Lucy and I worked together in chaplaincy at Providence St. Vincent Medical Center in Portland for over 6 years until her retirement and I enjoyed her infectious laugh, her deep compassion for patients on Hospice and the many children and families in our Maternity services.
Sr. Lucy had the ability to draw children closer and reassure them about the care of their family members. She welcomed all who came through our doors and she ventured far and wide to create a sacred space to honor the story of people at the end of life. May the Bllessings of her love continue long long days from now.
Fly with wild abandon. Blessings !
Sister Lucy St. Hilaire spent fifteen years at Providence
St. Vincent Medical Center giving the finest in
pastoral care to almost every unit in the facility and
she became known as someone staff, especially
nurses, could count on to support those in need at
any time. Lucy was one who was always able
to step into a situation and by her quiet, healing
presence call forth hope and strength in the suffering
or distressed.
Lucy had a great sense of humor and it enabled her
to enjoy the countless people she ministered to, and
also to buoy the spirits of all of us in pastoral care
with her.
I remember her with gratitude for all the gifts she
brought to our entire pastoral staff and for the wisdom, professionalism and support she gave to me in our
years together.
Having been a chaplain at Providence Portland Medical Center for over 25 years, I used to see Sr. Lucy frequently when she would come to the hospital for Mass or other occasions. She was always an inspiration and when she had to move to Seattle because of health reasons, she was dearly missed. I pray the Lord will comfort Lucy’s family and I know she will be welcomed by the Lord with open arms.
Sr. Lucy and I went through
Sr. Lucy and I went to school together at St. Joseph Academy for 12 years. It was always good to see her at our class reunions and her visits with Sr. Alice here in Yakima. Lucy, you will be missed by all who knew you.
Sending my Sincere Condolences and Prayers to my many friends in the St. Hilaire Family. We spent many days together going to school everyday and at my Dads’ Grocery Store “Poplar Grove”. Hugs all around. Here’s to the memories…….
I was a nurse on the Oncology Unit – then 4W – at St. V’s from 1987 – 1990. Sr. Lucy was one of my favorite chaplains, partly because of her name: Lucy. I told her Lucy was my heroine from the C.S. Lewis Narnian Tales and she seemed like what I would imagine Lucy would look like grown up. She liked that. Whenever Sr. Lucy came on our floor she brought with her a sense of peace, love, and caring support to patients and the staff. I’ve thought of her often as my nursing career progressed.
My good thoughts and love to her family.
A peaceful presence, with the warmth of compassion and understanding…she embodied “caritas christi”.
I have great memories of Sr. Lucy’s infectious “zest for life” as she would converse back and forth with her siblings and relatives at family gatherings during the 60’s and 70’s. I remember every so often we would see Aunt Lucy, along with Sr. Alice, Sr. Chrysostom, Sr. Alice Mary as well as other sisters come stay for a visit at Grandma & Grandpa St. Hilaire’s farm in Wapato. Those were special times that will always live in my heart. May Sr. Lucy’s memory be eternal.
Growing up, we didn’t have the luxury of spending that much time with our Aunt Sr. Lucy. But when Christmas rolled around we couldn’t wait to open up the box to see the newest handmade Christmas ornament from her. She spent so much of her time giving to other families we felt she truly was living the life the Lord asked her to live. When we were little, we used to brag to all the other children in our neighborhood that our Aunt was a nun. All the other kids used to say “Yeah…so?” and we would return with “Oh, we have two!” And that used to shut them up. I’m just glad my wonderful Aunt will finally get the chance to just kick up her heels and finally rest and to top of it all off, to finally meet her Maker. We will miss you Aunt Lucy!
It was my privilege to share Community with Sr. Lucy and two other Providence Sisters on the Campus of St. Vincent Hospital in the early ’90’s. Sr. Lucy was a “gem” ! I loved getting to know her and treasure the goodness, wisdom and joy she shared so generously with me those two years. I will miss seeing her at the annual Serra Club Luncheon in Portland and look forward to celebrating her life tomorrow in Seattle.
Sister Lucy was our Chaplain when I worked on the Mental Health units. She was so loved by both patients and staff for her supportive presence. Later we worked together at St. V’s after I became a chaplain. She was a wonderful co-worker.
She has always been a big supporter of the Providence Associates and we will all miss her so much. Watch over us from your new home!
Sr. Lucy was one of my memorable teachers from the first graduating class of Kennedy HS in 1970. She was spirited, authoritarian, forthwright, even tempered, and a good friend. I am sorry to hear of her passing, but knows she deserved a peaceful rest. She will be remembered by many and missed.
Thanks
We are so sorry to learn of the death of Sister Lucy. She certainly lived a long and fruitful life. It’s time like this that we get out the old family tree and reminisce about the relatives we have known and lost. Living where we did in Eastern Montana and having the Guernsey Dairy with 50 cows that needed to be milked every day, it didn’t leave time for going and visiting relatives. My father, Clarence Lauer, died in l981 at age 77. Mom, Eleanor Fellows Lauer, died in 1994 at age 85. My sister Corolin Lauer and her husband Clarence Ruff live in Spokane, WA and have 5 children. Dick and I have 4 children, all of whom live in Colorado.
Please know our prayers will be with Sr. Lucy St. Hilaire as I have attended daily Mass for 45 years.
With sympathy and prayers,
Diane and Richard Hecker.