Throwback Thursday: A Scottish nun
The June 23, Throwback Thursday blog focused on Sister Joseph Eleanor Ryan. For this week, we decided to take a request via Facebook.
After the blog posted on Facebook, Roxanne Lake asked if we would write something about Sister Raymond Hunter.
Well, Roxanne, your request has been granted!
In 1907, Margaret Veronica Hunter was born in Tannochside Lanarkshire, Scotland.
Her family moved to the United States early in her life, but returned to Scotland. After Margaret completed her elementary education, her family came back to the United States and settled in Vincennes.
From there, Margaret continued her education at the Saint Mary-of-the-Woods Academy before entering the Congregation of the Sisters of Providence in 1924, at the age of 17.
She was given the religious name of Sister Raymond.
Sister Raymond earned a bachelor’s degree in education and taught for six decades in schools located in Indiana, Illinois, Washington, D.C., and Maryland.
She “retired” at the age of 75, but decided to tutor children at Our Lady of Greenwood Parish for another 10 years before returning to The Woods. Sister Raymond also cooked sisters’ meals at the convent in Greenwood.
Upon her leaving Our Lady of Greenwood Parish, Sister Raymond received an award from the Greater Greenwood Chamber of Commerce for her work in religion for 30 years of service to the Catholic youth in Greenwood.
When she returned to The Woods in 1992, Sister Raymond cooked and helped in the Infirmary. She retired permanently at the age of 95
According to the Archives Department, Sister Raymond was one of a few Sisters of Providence to have been born in Scotland.
In the commentary for Sister Raymond’s obituary, Sister Alexa Suelzer (RIP) said, “Sister Raymond became a kind of legend at Our Lady of Greenwood, where she was consulted on matters of every sort.”
Sister Alexa also let another big secret out: Sister Raymond was an avid watcher of “The Young and the Restless.”
How fun this was to read! Sister Raymond was my 4th grade teacher at Our Lady of Greenwood. I later got to know her sister, Sister Marguerite, at Our Lady of Grace Academy.