Ancestry Chapter 62
1980 - 1983
1980 Great Grandchildren births: One
1980 Great-Great Grandchildren births: Eight
Sister Ruth loses St. Mary's - 1981
Sister Ruth loses her beloved St. Mary's Secondary School, and her dreams of exposing at least some of the native students to the wider world, when the school was nationalized under the new Ghana regime in 1981.
At the age of 60 Ruthie returns to the convent in Techny. She is now over the age limit for being missioned to the more primitive areas still available to the missionaries in Ghana.
1981 Great-Great Grandchildren births: Four
Sister Ruth returns to Ghana
Sister Ruth returns to Ghana, after a mere year
stateside. She has convinced her Mother Superior to allow her to serve in the
bush country village of Sunyani in Ghana. Ruthie, who holds multiple Masters
degrees, and had run a Secondary School for decades, now gladly takes on the
teaching of catechism to the village natives.
1982 Great Grandchildren births: One
1982 Great-Great
Grandchildren births: Three
Sister Ruth Norek dies, 1983, Sunyani, Ghana, Africa
Ruth Norek, a Sister of the Convent of the Holy Spirit, known as Sister Ruth Norek and earlier as Sister Alphonse, dies at age 61 on June 12, 1983, in Sunyani, Ghana, Africa.
Later spoke with one of the Sisters who had been with Ruth. They were stationed out in the "bush" country. Ruth became seriously ill. They tried to reach a hospital but Ruth died enroute. An embolism. This Sister, who was driving, did not stop. She recited the prayers for the dead, silently to avoid upsetting the other Sister with them who did not realize Ruth had died. She kept driving until Accra was reached. (Refrigeration was not available outside of Accra, and without it there would have been no beautiful funeral service.)
Sister Ruth Norek was buri
ed
in the capital city, Accra, Ghana. A Pontifical Requiem Mass was held on June 1
6,
1983, celebrated by Bishop Andoh of the Archdiocese of Accra, Ghana. He had
been the General Manager of Catholic schools when Ruthie was pioneering the
building of St. Mary's secondary school.
Three photos from Ruthie's funeral in Accra, Ghana.
The white casket decked with flowers. Next Bishop Andoh with co-celebrants.
Bottom
are
mourners walking ahead of the casket being carried on the shoulders of the pall
bearers.
A one-hundred years' history of the Catholic Church in Ghana can be located at http://207.5.41.42/History.html -- Sister Ruth's death and funeral, and her part in establishing St. Mary's, is mentioned in this history.
On July 10, 1983 a Memorial Mass was held for Aunt Ruth at the convent in Techny, Illinois. Uncle Father Pete celebrated that Mass. He mentioned that he had visited Accra on some priestly business and found himself being called "Sister Ruth's brother."
Refreshments in the convent dining room after the memorial.
Uncle Father Pete also said later that he could not handle it any more, that he would never again celebrate a funeral Mass for one of his own brothers or sisters.
1983 Great Grandchildren births: one
1983 Great-Great Grandchildren births: two
1983 Great-Great-Great Grandchildren births: three
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