Obituary of Sr. Mary Marguerite Fortier, RSM

Sister Mary Marguerite, 80, died peacefully on Monday, February 15, 2010 at McAuley Hall Health Care Center, Watchung, NJ. Sister Marguerite was born in Lancaster, PA. Her family moved to New Orleans when she was two years of age. She attended schools staffed by the Sisters of Mercy in New Orleans, and in 1948 she entered the Sisters of Mercy in St. Louis, MO. She earned a BS degree in elementary education from Webster College, Webster Grove, MO, and an MS degree in pastoral studies from Loyola University, New Orleans, LA. She also earned an RN in nursing from Mercy Hospital School of Nursing, New Orleans, LA, and an MS degree in nursing from DePaul University, Chicago, IL. Sister Marguerite's early ministry was in elementary and high school teaching. After several years of health care study at the request of her order, she began her new ministry in 1962 at Mercy Hospital, New Orleans. From 1967 to 1970 she served as hospital administrator and president of the hospital corporation. In 1979 she was assigned to North Bend, OR, where she assumed several positions at St. Catherine's Residence and Nursing Center, including a term as president from 1987 to 1989. She then went to St. Edward Mercy Medical Center, Fort Smith, AR, and was Director of Education. In service to the Sisters of Mercy, Sister Marguerite was Director of Basic Formation, St. Louis, MO, from 1970 to 1973. In 1974 she went to the Generalate of the Sisters of Mercy of the Union in Bethesda, MD, and was administrator of the Generalate complex and personal secretary to the Administrator General. She also served for one year at Mercy International Center, Dublin, Ireland, in a staff position. In later years, Sister Marguerite followed a call to pastoral ministry. A sabbatical year at Mercy Center, Madison, CT, was followed by ministry positions in Little Rock, AR, and Mount Saint Mary House of Prayer, Watchung, NJ. With roots in the Quaker tradition from her mother's family in the Amish countryside, Sister Marguerite acquired early in life a love of nature, art, and animals. Her maternal grandfather was a veterinarian who cared for the farm animals of the Amish people. As a child, Sister Marguerite spent summers with her maternal grandparents in Lancaster County, PA. Sister Marguerite's devotion to the Eucharist can be traced to her French Catholic roots. Her paternal grandfather was from a Catholic French family who owned a sugar cane plantation in Louisiana. Her father was described as a "perfect Southern gentleman." Sister Marguerite's gentle ways and capacity for spiritual awareness reflected the influence of her family. She also carried from childhood an awareness of an abiding presence of God within her. This awareness led her to devote her life to becoming a "good human being" through service to others through membership in the Sisters of Mercy. She is survived by a sister Marie Annette Fortier Huff and her husband Carl of Raleigh, NC and a brother Louis Barnard Fortier of New Iberia, LA, as well a several nieces Michelle Dickerson and her husband Lewis; Mimi Brummitt and her husband Russell and Jazzie Fortier; and two nephews Mark Huff and his wife Sandra and Michael Huff and his wife Doris. Visitation will take place at McAuley Hall Health Care Center, 1633 Highway 22 Watchung on Thursday February 18, 2010 from 9:30 to 11:00 am in Catherine of Siena Chapel. Mass of Christian Burial will be at 11:00 AM followed by burial in Holy Redeemer Cemetery South Plainfield, NJ Memorial Contributions may be made to the Sisters of Mercy Mid-Atlantic Community 1645 Highway 22 Watchung, NJ 07069.