DeWit, Sister Mary Margaret OSF 1911-2012

DEWIT, BRUGMAN

Posted By: Ruth Maring - VOLUNTEER
Date: 2/2/2012 at 13:15:22

Clinton, Iowa - Sister Mary Margaret DeWit, OSF, age 100, of Clinton died Thursday, January 25, 2012 at the Alverno Health Care Facility. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Saturday, January 28, at 9:30 A.M. at The Canticle with the Rev. Kenneth Kuntz presiding. Visitation will be from 4:00 to 7:00 P.M. Friday at The Canticle with a Rosary to be recited at 4:00 P.M. and a Scripture Service at 6:30P.M. Burial will be in St. Irenaeus Calvary Cemetery. Casket bearers will be relatives, friends and members of the Sisters of St. Francis. The Pape Funeral Home is assisting.

Sister Margaret was born in Chicago on April 2, 1911, the daughter of Peter Fabian and Marie (Brugman) DeWit. She attended St. Nicholas & Holy Rosary Schools in Chicago and St. Mary Elementary School in West Brooklyn, IL. She attended St. Louis High School in Chicago and Mount St. Clare Academy in Clinton. Sister Margaret received her AA Degree from Mount St. Clare College; BA in History from St. Ambrose College; MS in Education from Creighton, Omaha; MA in Library Science, Rosary College, River Forest, IL. She had additional studies at DePaul University, Chicago; San Diego University, San Diego and Loyola University of Los Angeles. She held an Iowa Permanent Teaching and Administration Certificate and Nebraska Secondary Permanent Professional Certificate.

Sister Margaret joined the congregation of the Sisters of St. Francis in Clinton on August 15, 1928 and professed her final vows on June 19, 1934. Sister Margaret spent most of her 60 years of active ministry teaching elementary and high school as well as principal for five years. In Clinton, she taught primary grades at Sacred Heart School from 1934 – 1950. Other Iowa schools in which she taught were Vail, Varina, Fonda and Danbury. She also taught in Chicago and Chicago Heights, Illinois; Riverside, California; Lexington, Nebraska; and St. Louis, Missouri. For several years she directed high school and parish choirs. In Clinton, she worked six years at the Clinton Public Library; four years at the Mount St. Clare College library; and as receptionist at the Mount St. Clare Speech and Hearing Center. She retired at Mount St. Clare Convent in 1991 and served as convent librarian, archivist, and sacristan for some years.

Sister Margaret is survived by nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, three brothers and two sisters. Online condolences may be left at www.papefh.com