Sister Kathleen Dede (formerly Sister Marie Arthur)

Sister Kathleen Dede, formerly Sister Marie Arthur, passed away in the morning hours of Wednesday, June 25, at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana. She was 89-years-old and had been a Sister of Providence for 70 years.

Commentary

By Sister Ann Casper, SP

Reading: Luke 12:35-38

Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, like servants waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him. It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. Truly I tell you, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them. It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he comes in the middle of the night or toward daybreak.

We often hear the expression “First impressions are the most lasting.” In Sister Kathleen Dede’s regard, we may be tempted to let our last impressions of her be the most enduring. I hope this commentary will prove that wrong, because our last impressions of Kathleen were clouded by the dementia that cloaked her mind and ignored her contributions of a lifetime.

Kathleen Teresa Dede was born September 25, 1935, to Arthur and Helena O’Leary Dede in Terre Haute, Indiana. She was the youngest of eight Dede children, all of whom entered religious life or the priesthood. Her three brothers and a sister preceded her in death. An early childhood memory of one of her siblings was that Kathleen “could be messy.” Their mother would simply tell her, “just close your bedroom door!”

Kathleen was educated by the Sisters of Providence, attending elementary grades at St. Ann and high school at St. Patrick in Terre Haute. She entered the Congregation of the Sisters of Providence on February 2, 1954, and was given the religious name of Sister Marie Arthur. On August 15, she made her first and perpetual profession of vows, in 1956 and 1961 respectively.

As I was reading Kathleen’s residence and ministry assignments, I was reminded of that game we sometimes played years ago of throwing a ball of twine from one person to another, to show relationships and connections. If we did that in Kathleen’s regard, we would end up with a tangle of twine, I fear, representing her varied locations, in varied ministries, all of which she was well prepared for with degrees in education, social work and theology studies.

But back to the ball of twine … she ministered in Indianapolis, Chicago, back to Indianapolis, Linton, the Village, St. Louis, back to Chicago, Terre Haute, Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Davis, California, Booneville, Mississippi, and Dunedin, Florida, and, lastly, in retirement back to Saint Mary-of-the-Woods.

Her ministries were equally as varied: Teacher and principal, social worker (in the field as well as a college instructor), campus minister, pastoral minister, teacher of theology and psychology. Her volunteer ministries in later years included in hospice, nursing home visitor and a receptionist.

It seemed that “the master always found her ready,” for a new location, a new ministry. She spent nearly 64 years in these ministries, and then continued aspects of her social work with the residents in Providence Health Care when she moved there. Perhaps these many transitions also bear out a band member’s description of Kathleen as “being determined, not stubborn, just very determined.”

When Kathleen ministered as resident pastoral minister in Booneville, Mississippi, and they were building a new church, she really pushed for a more central location and to add a Catholic Student Center, since they were very near the community college.

She wanted the parish to have more of a presence in the community. She also pushed to have the parish renamed from Infant Jesus of Prague, maintaining that parishioners “never liked it and found it difficult to explain, especially in their predominantly non-Catholic area.” It was renamed Saint Francis of Assisi parish, the well-known patron of peace to both Catholics and non-Catholics alike. “The new name will give us a stronger identity,” shared Kathleen.

Sister Kathleen was dearly loved by the health care staff and several took advantage of a note pad at the nurse’s station to record their memories. Jessica recalled, “Kathleen was always up to something. I called her trouble #1, with Eileen trouble #2 and Mary Mark trouble #3. Kathleen told me she ‘wanted to be buried with her shot glass and the sign from her Halloween costume that read ‘grumpy old lady.’ She will forever be loved and missed.”

Brittany recalls, “Kathleen couldn’t remember my name when I first started, but always remembered that I had three boys. She knew my name began with ‘B’ so she said she was calling me Beatrice. We always joked every day I worked.” Nurse Renda, too, recalled that “even when Kathleen got really sick, she always remembered my name.”

Nurse Connie recalls her early morning chats with Kathleen, who “always showed up at the nurse’s station for her first cup of coffee. She would stand and talk to me for a while.”

Transportation driver Michelle mentioned that in all her time at Providence Health Care, she has never seen a person receive so much love and acknowledgment after they passed. Nearly all staff members shared online words of love in some capacity.

Another person with fond memories of Sister Kathleen was Providence Associate Betsy Simon, who companioned Kathleen daily for nearly three years. Here are a few of her recollections:

“I was so excited to meet Sister Kathleen and learn her name for the first time! I told her that I would see her at church and always wanted to meet her. Sistafriend (my name for her) responded with a really skeptical look on her face, ‘You go to church?’ I’m not sure what she meant by that, but I don’t think it was a compliment.

“Because God has a great sense of humor, I became her companion a few months later. I liked to tell her I was her new mission; she liked to remind me she ‘was in prayer.’ Sister Kathleen quickly became the best part of my day, every day, and the person I most enjoyed spending time with, in and out of church.

“Sistafriend didn’t always want my assistance, but I would remind her that she loved me. She would remind me that ‘we have to love everyone, but we don’t have to like anyone.’ I imagine she’s just glad she no longer has to explain to people that she’s neither my mother, nor my grandmother! Sistafriend loved to tell people I was her maid; I reminded her that I’d rather be her good and faithful servant. No matter what she called me, I’m certainly a better Betsy today because of all of the time I got to spend with her.”

I got a glimpse into Kathleen’s spiritually when I read a presentation she gave nearly 50 years ago to parents of children born with “birth defects.” She was asked by a member of the audience if she ever got discouraged in her work. Her response was “yes,” with this explanation:

“The particular night that I took my discouragement to the Lord, I called it being in the basement and I prayed: ‘Dear God, I’m tired and discouraged. I want to just give up and walk away. I’m in the basement and I want to go to the attic. The basement is concrete – cold and dark and damp, sunless … I feel suffocated. In the attic there are treasures, the rain is soft and restful, the sun of your love is warm as it shines through the leaves on the trees. I ask to feel your love. I do believe, help my unbelief.”

Her Benedictine Sister Patty recalled that “Kathleen never wanted to admit that she fell, so when she had her last fall, she told the staff that she ‘was praying.’” Patty added that “Kathleen always hoped the five Dede girls could hold hands and go to heaven together.” While that is not going to happen, when Father Terry anointed her, he asked if she was ready for heaven and she responded, “more than ready.” So, we send you on your way Kathleen with our prayers that your “very determined” self will enjoy the fruits of your lifetime of labor for all eternity.

Funeral Information

Funeral services for Sister Kathleen took place on Wednesday, July 9, and Thursday, July 10, in the Church of the Immaculate Conception at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods.

A Wake took place from 2:30-4:30 p.m., on Wednesday, July 9. Mass of Christian Burial was at 11 a.m., on Thursday, July 10.

Memorial contributions may be made in honor of Sister Kathleen to the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods.

We welcome you to share your memories of Sister Kathleen in the comment section below.

Sister Kathleen Dede (formerly Sister Marie Arthur)

Complete Ministry

In Indiana: Teacher, St. Anthony, Indianapolis (1956-58); Teacher, St. Andrew, Indianapolis (1964-67); Teacher, St. Peter, Linton (1967-68); Teacher/Principal, St. Mary Village School, Saint Mary-of-the-Woods (1968-69); Social Worker, Katherine Hamilton Mental Health Center, Terre Haute (1978-79); Social Worker/Instructor, Saint Mary-of-the-Woods (1979-80); Instructor/Social Work/Sociology Department Head, Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College (1980-82); Substitute Teacher, Indianapolis (2011-13); Nursing Home Visitor, Indianapolis (2013-15); Volunteer/CBO and Administration Building Receptionist, Sisters of Providence, Saint Mary-of-the-Woods (2016-17); Volunteer, Administration Building Receptionist, Sisters of Providence, Saint Mary-of-the-Woods (2017-20); Prayer, Saint Mary-of-the-Woods (2020-25).

In Illinois: Teacher, Our Lady of Mercy, Chicago (1958-59); Teacher, St. Sylvester, Chicago (1959-64); Social Worker/Social Service Director, Misericordia Homes, Chicago (1977-78).

In Missouri: Social Worker, Crippled Children Association, St. Louis (1971-73); Director of Social Services, Crippled Children Association (1973-77).

In California: Campus Ministry, Newman Center, University of California at Davis (1983-84); Provincial Councilor/Campus Ministry Director, Newman Center, University of California at Davis (1984-89).

In Mississippi: Resident Pastoral Minister, St. Francis of Assisi/St. Mary Mission, Boonville (1990-94).

In Florida: Teacher, St. Petersburg Catholic High School, St. Petersburg (1995-2000); Director of Catechetical Ministry, Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, Dunedin (2000-04); Volunteer of Adult Education, Our Lady of Lourdes, Dunedin (2005-06); Volunteer Hospice Chaplain/Grief Support Groups, Clearwater (2006-2010).