I was born and raised in Seattle, Washington and went to Catholic grade schools and high schools. I always admired the Sisters I had as teachers and knew I wanted to become a Sister and/or teacher.

In order to get a good job after high school, I needed more skills. I enrolled in a Business College and focused on typing, shorthand and accounting. With these skills I was able to get a job working for the Boeing Airplane Company—first as a typist in a steno pool and then as a secretary for an individual person. Later I went to Seattle University where I earned my Bachelor of Teaching degree with a major in business subjects and a minor in music.

In 1962 my first job as a teacher was teaching fourth grade at Our Lady of Guadalupe School in West Seattle. The Sisters of St. Mary of Oregon were assigned there that year. The Sisters were always cheerful and helpful; I knew this was the community I wanted to join. I entered the community in 1963 and was assigned a classroom at St. Mary of the Valley High School teaching typing, shorthand, bookkeeping and recordkeeping. These were the days of return carriage typewriters! We eventually had Selectric typewriters (with the round ball), then a room of Apple computers. When I stopped teaching in 1999 they had a full room of PCs!

In 1999 I was assigned to Maryville Nursing Home and worked in medical records doing secretarial work for the medical records nurse. In 2004 I was assigned as administrative assistant at Maryville—taking care of the census and helping the nurses and staff as needed. In 2014 I will celebrate my Golden Jubilee as a Sister of St. Mary of Oregon. It doesn’t seem possible, time goes so quickly.

If you think you might have a vocation, come and visit us.

—”Do not be afraid of Christ! He takes nothing away, and he gives you everything. When we give ourselves to him, we receive a hundredfold in return. Yes, open, open wide the doors to Christ—and you will find true life.”   –Benedict XVI

—”No sacrifice is too great and no task too difficult.”   –Mother Seraphim, SSMO

Posted by dtomich in About the Sisters