Sister Jean Karier

Sister Jean Karier, 94, of St. Mary of the Woods, Ind. died on March 7, 2009, at 9:30 p.m. in Mother Theodore Hall, St. Mary-of-the-Woods. Sister was born in Evanston, Ill. on Sept. 16, 1914, to John and Margaret Linster Karier and was baptized Cecilia Susan. Sister entered the Congregation of the Sisters of Providence on Feb. 11, 1932, professed First Vows Aug. 15, 1934, and Final Vows Jan. 23, 1940. She earned a bachelors degree from St. Mary-of-the-Woods College and a masters degree from St. Louis University. Of her 77 years as a Sister of Providence, Sr. Jean ministered for 46 years in education, serving in Indiana and Illinois. In 1957, at the request of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis, she was part of a team which began a Special Education Center in Indianapolis. She was part of the group that began St. Mary‚ Child Center in Indianapolis. Beginning in 1977, she ministered for three years as part-time instructor of Special Education at St. Mary-of-the-Woods College. At the same time, she served on the secretarial staff at the Motherhouse, a ministry she continued until 1991. Though she was then listed as officially retired, she gave nine more years of part-time service in the Motherhouse offices including four years of coordinating the Blessed Sacrament Association. Beginning in 2000, she committed herself totally to the ministry of prayer. Sister is survived by one sister, Rosemary Hyland of Westchester, Ill. She is preceded in death by three sisters, Sr. Margaret Jean Karier, SP, Sr. Margaret Karier, SP, Sr. Dorothy Karier, SP, and five brothers, Edward, Robert, Arthur, Mark and Rev. Raymond Karier. The wake is at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, with the Wake Service 4:30 p.m. in the Church of the Immaculate Conception. Mass of Christian Burial is 11 a.m. Wednesday. Burial is in the Cemetery of the Sisters of Providence. The Callahan-DeBaun Funeral Home assisted with arrangements.