Rebecca Berghoff, SP
February 8, 1925 - September 13, 2018
Obituary
REBECCA BERGHOFF, SP
(Sister Rebecca)
Sister Rebecca Berghoff, age 93, a Sister of Providence for 74 years, died September 13, 2018, at St. Joseph Residence, Seattle, WA. Vigil Service: Thursday, September 20, 2018, at 6:30 PM, and Funeral Mass: Friday, September 21, 2018, at 11:00 AM, both at St. Joseph Residence, 4800 37th Avenue SW, Seattle, WA. Burial will follow at Calvary Cemetery, Seattle, WA, after Mass and reception. Bonney Watson Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Elizabeth Jean Berghoff was born February 8, 1925 to Edward and Eugenia (Creevan) Berghoff, in Yakima, Washington. She was the second oldest of seven children. Elizabeth entered the Sisters of Providence in July 1943 at Mount St. Vincent, Seattle, Washington, and in January 1944, she became a novice. In July 1945 she professed first vows and received the name Sister Rebecca, and in July 1948 she professed final vows.
Elizabeth Jean graduated in 1943 from St. Joseph Academy, Yakima, WA. In 1955, Sister Rebecca earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in education from the College of Great Falls, now the University of Providence in Great Falls, MT. Sister Rebecca received her Masters of Arts degree in Education and Administration in 1974 from Loyola University, Los Angeles, CA. She also earned teaching and principal certifications from the states of Washington and California. In 1982 Sr. Rebecca became a member of The Delta Kappa Gamma Society International by the Theta Chapter.
Sister Rebecca’s first ministry from 1945-63 was in education as a teacher and principal in Washington: Seattle – St. Catherine School; Olympia – St. Michael School; and Yakima – St. Joseph Grade School. In Illinois: Des Plaines – Maryville Academy. In California: Sun Valley – Our Lady of the Holy Rosary School; and Burbank – Providence High School.
From 1963-76 Sr. Rebecca held several positions in school administration from 1963-76 at Providence Burbank High School as treasurer, vice-principal, and principal. Then from 1976-2000 she continued her ministry in Yakima as principal of St. Joseph Elementary and Marquette Middle schools; and 2000-02 as assistant vice-principal at St. Joseph/Marquette School, where from 2003-07 she volunteered as vice-principal before retiring.
In 1976 Sr. Rebecca received The Women of the Year Award by the Women’s Council of Burbank, CA. She was also recognized for her significant contributions to the community of Yakima Valley: In October 1989, The Sister Rebecca Berghoff Foundation was founded by volunteers of St. Joseph/Marquette to provide financial support for future generations of Yakima’s families. She was also the 1994 Honoree of the S.I. Anthon Award by Altrusa International, Inc., of Yakima; and the 2001 YWCA Women of Achievement Award recipient for her community service as a Camp Fire Board of Director, in Yakima.
In 2007 Sr. Rebecca retired and moved to St. Joseph Residence, Seattle, where she enjoyed and cherished spending time with family, friends and her sisters in community.
Sr. Rebecca is preceded in death by her parents, her sisters, Mary Maxine, SP, Virginia, Helen, and Marjorie; and brothers, Larry and Jim. She is survived by her sister, Kathleen Scott, and nephews and nieces.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Sisters of Providence Retirement Fund, 1801 Lind Avenue SW, #9016, Renton, WA 98057-9016. To view Sr. Rebecca’s obituary and picture and to sign her memory book, please visit the website for Bonney-Watson Funeral Home at www.bonneywatson.com
Sr. Rebecca was my “boss” for four years at Providence High School. I started at Providence in 1967 and went on to have a career as a college professor until I retired in 2012. I often think of how fortunate I was to work with her when I began teaching. She was my role model for a leader with vision, a sense of humor, and kindness.
Sister Rebecca was the moderator of the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine and I was vice president of the organization sometime between 1960 and 1964. She was also my biology teacher, and I learned to love biology. She was my favorite teacher in high school, maybe in all my school years. I loved her sense of humor and ability to relate to all of us squirrelly high school girls. Oh, and she was a great teacher. I loved Sister Rebecca.
WE GOT TO KNOW SR. REBECCA, SINCE WE ATTENDED ST. JOSEPH CHURCH, YAKIMA,WA. OUR LATE SON, SAMUEL CHARLES ZAMARRIPA,(4-08-73 / 4-05-02), ATTENDED K-8 , WHILE SHE WAS PRINCIPAL AT ST JOSEPH / MARQUETTE MIDDLE SCHOOL. OUR SON JUST LOVED HER, AS ALL THE CHILDREN AT THE SCHOOL.
I WORKED BINGO FOR TEN YEARS, WORKED WITH HER, SHE WAS VERY UNDERSTANDING, HELP ALOT.
ANY PROBLEMS, SHE WOULD JUST WORK THEM OUT.
MARIA, STILL KEPT IN TOUCH WITH HER, WHILE SHE WAS IN SEATTLE, SEND CARDS ALL OF THE TIME.
WE ARE VERY SORRY TO HEAR OF HER PASSING.
NOW SHE GOING TO HELP THE LORD, RIP SISTER.
What a great loving woman, and outstanding principal and example for so many. Sr. touched the lives of many throughout her years of service to God and to his most precious little ones.
To her everyone was important, no matter what you had to say to her, she would always take the time to listen and give you words of wisdom and good counsel.
She will be greatly missed by so many.
She was my 3rd grade teacher at Holy Rosary school in Sun Valley. & my teacher at Providence High in Burbank Calif. a loving & wonderful teacher & devoted coucl
Sister Rebecca may not sing like the nun in Sound of Music but that is how I saw her the first time we met at Providence High School. She was always in motion, skirt swishing and beads swinging at her side (in those days, the full habit) with boundless energy and joy. She was always fun to be around and at the same time, serious and dedicated to teaching and guiding. She was the “model” of a nun that lead me to join the sisterhood. She was bright and wise and with me, complimenting and correcting with respect and clarity my somewhat silly and sassy behavior when I was president of her homeroom class. She remained a good friend for 50 years. She will be missed but thoughts of her bring a smile to my face.