CUNNINGHAM, Mary Paschal, Sister (Dorothy) 1915-2002

CUNNINGHAM, NOSS

Posted By: County Coordinator
Date: 7/5/2011 at 17:06:51

(Dorothy Cunningham)
SISTER MARY PASCHAL CUNNINGHAM, PBVM

DUBUQUE, IOWA - The funeral for Dougherty native, Sister Mary Paschal Cunningham, 86, will be held at 10:30 a.m. Monday at Mount Loretto Chapel, Dubuque. Burial will be at Mt. Olivet Cemetery, Key West. She died Thursday (Aug. 8, 2002) at Mount Loretto.

Visitation will be from 3 to 8 p.m. Sunday with a wake service and time of remembering at 6 p.m. at the Mount Loretto Motherhouse.

Sister Mary Paschal (Dorothy Cunningham) was born Nov. 8, 1915, in Scott Township, Floyd County, rural Dougherty, to the late James H. and Susan (Noss) Cunningham. She was born and deceased tenth, in a family of 12 siblings.

She spent most of her childhood and teen years in Dougherty, attending school at St. Patrick's. Sister entered the Presentation community at a young age on June 8, 1932, five months before her seventeenth birthday. She graduated from St. Columbkille's High School in Dubuque, and Loras College, Dubuque, with a major in music. Sister professed her final vows Feb. 5, 1938.

Sister Paschal's ministry in education included parochial school classroom instruction and/or music in Emerson, Neb., Monticello, Minn., and Humboldt, Algona, Lawler, Dubuque (Key West), Fairbank, Waukon, Dougherty, and Storm Lake, Iowa.

As parish minister, Sister Paschal ministered in Sacred Heart, Manly, St. Joseph, Mason City, and Sheldon, Iowa. She retired to the Mount Loretto Motherhouse in 1990, where she was able to devote more time to her favorite hobbies, which included walking, cooking, playing the piano and organ, playing bingo and cards, and attending concerts. While at Mt. Loretto, she participated in community service and prayer until her death.

Survivors include two sisters, Mrs. Glenn (Frances) Klatt and Mrs. Henry (Rose) Gaubatz, of Mason City. Also surviving are many nieces, nephews, cousins, friends and Sisters of the Presentation, who shared her life for more than 70 years.

She was preceded in death by her parents; four brothers, Carl, Leo, John and Nicholas; and five sisters, Mayme Backer, Agnes Hinch, Gladys Lugar, Josephine McLaughlin and Gertrude Hart.

Egelhof Siegert Casper Funeral Home, Dubuque, (563) 556-0776

[ Globe Gazette, Aug. 10, 2002]