Sister MARY FRANCES VONDRUSKA, RSM

BOCEK, VONDRUSKA, DUNAY, SMOLEK

Posted By: Mary Durr (email)
Date: 2/19/2004 at 08:30:14

Sister Mary Frances Vondruska, RSM

Telegraph Herald - Dec 12, 2003

Sister Mary Frances Vondruska, RSM, 89, of Farmington Hills, Mich., formerly of Dubuque, died Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2003, at McAuley Retirement Center, Farmington Hills.

Services will be at 10:30 a.m. today in Sacred Heart Chapel at McAuley Center. Burial will be in Holy Sepulcher Cemetery, Southfield, Mich. A welcoming service was held Dec. 11 at the center, where there was a scripture service. The McCabe Funeral Home, Farmington Hills, is in charge of arrangements.

She was born on April 17, 1914, in Bannister, Mich., daughter of Yugoslavian immigrants Joseph and Frances (Bocek) Vondruska. She was christened Agnes at St. Joseph's Parish.

She was received into the Sisters of Mercy in Dubuque on Aug. 16, 1934, and was given the name Sister Mary Frances Joseph.

The majority of Sister Frances' 46 years of service in education were spent in Michigan parochial schools.

She received a bachelor's degree from Mercy College, Detroit, and a master's degree in education from the University of Detroit. These degrees were earned over a number of summers, as there was no time for studies during the school year.

She taught children in Holland, Midland, Traverse City, Bay City, Ludington, Muskegon, Temperance, Rogers City, Detroit, Manistee, Auburn and Howell, Mich. She served for four years as principal of St. John School in Independence, Iowa. She also taught first grade for a year in Clovis, N.M. She slowed down her pace in 1984 to become a library aide and parish volunteer at St. Joseph Parish in Howell, prior to retiring to McAuley Center in 1989.

Surviving are two brothers, Frank Vondruska, of Glennie, Mich., and Louis Vondruska, of Waterford, Mich.; three sisters, Sister Mary Bertha Vondruska, RSM, of Auburn, Frances Dunay, of Ovid, Mich., and Helen Smolek, of West Palm Beach, Fla.; several nieces and nephews; and the members of her Mercy community.

Memorials may be given to the Mercy Ministry Fund, 29000 Eleven Mile Road, Farmington Hills, Mich. 48336-1405.