Sister Nancy (M. Ann Patrick) McMullen
October 1939 — December 24, 2017
Resurrection liturgy for Precious Blood Sister Nancy McMullen was held at the Salem Heights chapel in Dayton on Friday, Jan. 5. Sister died in Dayton on Sunday, Dec. 24, 2017. Nancy, 78, had been a Sister of the Precious Blood for 60 years.
Fifth in line of 14 children, Nancy Grace was born in October 1939 to Joseph Gerald McMullen and Florence Gertrude (Vellenga) McMullen in Bellefontaine, Ohio. On January 5, 1957, at the age of 17, she formally entered the Congregation of the Sisters of the Precious Blood because, as she said, “I feel it is God’s will for me.” In religious life she was given the name Sister Mary Ann Patrick and later returned to using her baptismal name.
Sister Nancy was active in many ministries. The first 18 years she taught children in elementary schools in Indiana, Arizona, Ohio, Missouri and Virginia. She was director of religious education in Cincinnati for four years before earning an M.A. in theology in 1982, after which she taught high school religion in Cincinnati. She then served the Sisters as a Congregational Councilor for four years and served as lay pastoral ministry coordinator for the Archdiocese for the next 20 years. She then served six years as Council Secretary until her death.
At her 60th Jubilee in 2017, Nancy said, “Belonging to the Sisters of the Precious Blood has brought richness, happiness and joy to my life.”
Preceding her in death was her sister Jane Wittke and her brother Mark who died in infancy. Nancy is survived by her Precious Blood Community of Sisters, her sisters Ruth Borchers and Sandy Carter and her brothers Jack, Tom, Joe, Bob, Paul, Carl, Pat, Fred and Tim McMullen, as well as other relatives and friends.
Interment took place in the Salem Heights Cemetery.
Sister Gladys Marie (M. Bernetta) Lowe
May 1914 — January 5, 2018
Resurrection liturgy for Precious Blood Sister Gladys Marie Lowe was held at the Salem Heights chapel in Dayton on Wednesday, January 10. Sister died on January 5, 2018. Gladys Marie, 103, had been a Sister of the Precious Blood for 87 years.
Third in line of four children, Gladys Marie was born in May 1914 to David Lowe and Mary Gordon in Dayton, Ohio. Because of the early deaths of first her father and later her mother, Gladys lived at the St. Joseph Orphanage in Dayton, from where on September 4, 1930, at the age of 16, she formally entered the Congregation of the Sisters of the Precious Blood. In religious life she was given the name Sister Mary Bernetta and later returned to using her baptismal name.
Sister Gladys Marie was active in many ministries. She served at the St. Joseph Children’s Home as housekeeper for five years and later returned to serve another 14 years. For five years she ministered at seminaries in Denver and San Diego, California. Then began her 23 years of ministering in child care at San Luis Rey and Oceanside, California. The latter three years she also worked with the St. Vincent de Paul Group, working with the poor. “I love working with the poor,” she wrote, “because I think that is one good way I can live our Precious Blood Spirituality.” This little person of unlimited energy and love to share retired to Salem Heights in Dayton in 1994 where she continued to be of service to her Precious Blood Sisters. Because of failing health she moved in 2017 to the Maria-Joseph Center.
At her 75th Jubilee in 2005, Sister Gladys Marie wrote, “I am grateful for each of you who has been a part of my life. I’m grateful to the Congregation for so much!”
Preceding her in death were her brothers, David and John Lowe, and her sister Marie Lowe and half-sister Freida Robinette Gram. Gladys Marie is survived by her Precious Blood Community of Sisters, nieces and nephews and friends.
Interment took place in the Salem Heights Cemetery.
Sister Ann Catherine (M. Imelda) Merkle
November 1923 — January 23, 2018
Resurrection liturgy for Precious Blood Sister Ann Catherine Merkle was held at the Salem Heights chapel in Dayton on Thursday, Jan. 25. Sister died in Dayton on Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2018. Ann, 94, had been a Sister of the Precious Blood for 72 years.
Fourth in line of five children, Ann Catherine was born in November 1923 to Robert T. and Luella M. (Link) Merkle in Dayton, Ohio. On August 12, 1945, at the age of 22, she formally entered the Congregation of the Sisters of the Precious Blood. In religious life she was given the name Sister Mary Imelda and later returned to using her baptismal name. “Being a member of the Congregation,” wrote Ann, “means sharing the gifts that God has given so generously to me.”
Sister Ann Catherine served 30 years as an educator of children in grade schools in St. Joseph, Missouri; Rensselaer, Indiana; Falls Church, Virginia; Manteca, California; Mesa and Phoenix, Arizona; and Dayton, St. Marys and Millville, Ohio. Later she became a religion educator serving in parishes in St. Henry, Toledo, St. Marys and Ottawa, Ohio. From 1990 to 2001, Sister served others as a pastoral minister in Dayton.
In 2001, Ann retired and did volunteer ministry at Twin Towers and later at Salem Heights in Dayton. Failing health problems in late 2017 brought her to Maria-Joseph Center, from where God chose to call her home.
Preceding her in death were her brothers, Charles Robert and James Edward, and her sister, Marie Angela Glaser. Ann Catherine is survived by her Precious Blood Community of Sisters, her sister Rosemary Dillon and nieces and nephews.
Interment took place in the Salem Heights Cemetery.
Sister Marjorie (M. Paulita) Huelsman
February 1941 — January 30, 2018
Resurrection liturgy for Precious Blood Sister Marjorie Huelsman was held at the Salem Heights chapel in Dayton on Friday, Feb. 2. Sister died on Jan. 20, 2018. Marjorie, 76, had been a Sister of the Precious Blood for 56 years.
Marjorie Kathleen Huelsman was born to Louis and Adeline (Quinter) Huelsman in February 1941 in Celina, Ohio, where she joined her only sibling, her brother Louis Jr. Marjorie entered the Sisters of the Precious Blood in Dayton, Ohio, on January 1, 1961, at the age of 20 and was given the name Sister Mary Paulita. Later she returned to the use of her baptismal name.
Sister Marjorie served in a wide variety of ministries over her years in the community, including in the classroom teaching art to grade schoolers, working as a nurses’ aide, caring for her aging parents and in a variety of domestic duties. Sister Marjorie most enjoyed anything that had to do with art and creative drawing, at which she was accomplished. No matter how busy Margie was, she always found time to enjoy her art work.
In the mid-2000s, Sister Marjorie moved to Salem Heights due to failing health and eventually became a permanent resident at the Maria-Joseph Center next door. She accepted her physical decline with the same grace that she accepted all of life — as an opportunity to do something beautiful for God and others.
“I will not forget you. I have carved you on the palm of my hand” was a favorite Scripture passage for Margie. How appropriate for someone who used her hands so well throughout her life both in art and in service to her sisters and brothers.
At the time of Margie’s 25th Jubilee, she said, “Being a member of the Congregation means being part of a group of women with a terrific spirit of prayer, sharing whatever they have with each other and all in need.”
Sister Marjorie was preceded in death by her parents and her brother Louis and is survived by her Precious Blood Community of Sisters and her nieces and nephew and their families.
Interment took place in the Salem Heights Cemetery.