- Date Of Death: July 9, 2016
- State: Indiana
When Jeanette Lester entered the Sisters of the Holy Cross in 1967 at 49 years old she already had a career in the civil service, working for the federal government as a personnel administrator in Toledo, Ohio. A year later, she completed University of Toledo doctoral degree in higher education and business administration. She remarked that her life prior to the convent was socially active, but she had been “busy with so many things that I often lost sight of the one important goal-to improve as a disciple of Christ and a witness to him.” The Indiana native, born in Bluffton, joined the faculty of Saint Mary’s College, Notre Dame, Indiana, in 1967 as an assistant professor teaching in the departments of education and business administration/economics. Thereafter she was assistant dean of freshmen, then directed the institutional research office at Saint Mary’s College for 16 years. In “retirement” she ministered locally at Holy Cross Parish and volunteered at St. Joseph Medical Center. Since 2007, Sister Jeanette resided at Saint Mary’s Convent, devoted to a ministry of prayer. At 97 years old, she died in the Lord’s embrace. Services will be at the Church of Loretto. Reception of the body and wake will be Tuesday, July 12, at 10:30 a.m. Mass of the Resurrection is Tuesday, July 12 at 1:30 p.m.
