- Date Of Birth: July 17, 1918
- Date Of Death: March 8, 2006
- State: Indiana
Rev. Adrien J. Ste. Marie, CSC, peacefully passed away on Wednesday, March 8, 2006, in Holy Cross House, Notre Dame, Indiana. He was 87 years old and had been a Holy Cross religious for nearly 63 years and a priest for nearly 55 years.
Fr. Adrien Ste. Marie, C.S.C., was born to Edgar and Lucille (Brazeau) Ste. Marie on July 17, 1918, in Portland, Ore. His early years were spent on the family homestead in the Eastern Oregon town of Shaniko. After the family moved to Portland, he attended St. Stephen Grade School and St Stephen High School before attending Columbia Prep in 1934. After graduating in 1936, he worked for a year before entering the University of Portland in 1937. After three years of study at Portland, he transferred to Oregon State University.
In 1942, Fr. Ste. Marie came to Holy Cross Seminary, Notre Dame, as a candidate for the priesthood. He entered St. Joseph Novitiate, Rolling Prairie, Ind., in 1943, and made first vows August 16, 1944. After graduating from Notre Dame in 1946, he studied theology at the Foreign Missions Seminary in Washington, D.C. for the next four years. He was ordained to the priesthood in Portland, Ore. on June 3, 1950.
Due to his mother’s uncertain health, work in the mission field was postponed. His first two assignments were as chaplain and teacher at Boysville in Clinton, Mich., and Gilmour Academy in Gates Mills, Ohio. In1952, he was allowed to go to what is now called Bangladesh and served there in a variety of ways until 1960. After a year on the staff at the Foreign Mission Seminary, he served at the University of Portland until 1962.
After three years at Sacred Heart Parish in New Orleans, he moved to the development office at Holy Cross Seminary at Notre Dame from 1965-1966. A year of study at the University of Portland followed and then two years as chaplain to the U.S. Army at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., from 1967-1969. The next three years were spent on retreat work in California and then ten years as a chaplain to the Veterans Administration in San Francisco. After two semesters of study and a year at St. Lawrence O’Toole parish in Oakland, CA, 1982-83, Fr. Adrien spent thirteen years in Pastoral Care work at St. Joseph’s Medical Center, South Bend. From 1996 until 2003, he had resided with the community at the University of Portland. In 2003, he made his home at Holy Cross House, Notre Dame, Ind.
Fr. Ste. Marie was preceded in death by his parents, Edgar and Lucille Ste. Marie. He is survived by two stepbrothers, George and Joseph Warmuth; and several nieces and nephews.
