SISTER M. GERMAINE HELWIG

HELWIG SISTER M. GERMAINE, SC
Age 94, died at Caritas Christi, the motherhouse of the Sisters of Charity in Greensburg, on March 4, 2010. Born in Scottdale, Pennsylvania, Sister M. Germaine entered the congregation of the Sisters of Charity on September 8, 1933, from Saint John the Baptist Parish, in Scottdale. Preceded in death by her parents, August H. and Germaine (Laurent) Helwig, four brothers, August H. Jr., Charles R., Gilbert J., Robert, Edward and her sister, Margaret Jo, she is survived by a brother, Lawrence E. Helwig. She earned a bachelor's degree in chemistry, mathematics from Seton Hill University and a master's degree in chemistry, biology from the University of Notre Dame. A teacher of secondary school students, Sister M. Germaine taught chemistry for 26 years at Bishop McCort High School in the Altoona-Johnstown diocese. She also taught at Greensburg Central Catholic High School, and was a volunteer tutor at Geibel High School in the Greensburg diocese. Sister M. Germaine taught at Sacred Heart High School, in the Pittsburgh diocese. She was an instructor in mathematics and chemistry at Seton Hill University during summer sessions. In 1993, she was named one of Seton Hill's Volunteers of the Year for the many hours she gave to Seton Hill students as a mathematics tutor. A dedicated teacher, Sister M. Germaine was named an honorary member of Alpha Sigma Lambda, an Honor Society for Students in Continuing Higher Education, during an award ceremony at Seton Hill University in 1996. Quiet, smiling and unassuming, Sister M. Germaine reflected on her life as a Sister of Charity, "God has been very good to me and my life has been filled with blessings. I pray that I have used His many graces as I should." Friends Received:Friday, 3:00 - 7:00 p.m., Caritas Christi, 129 DePaul Center Road, Greensburg, PA. Funeral MassSaturday 10:30 a.m. Chapel of the Assumption, Caritas Christi. Burial: Sisters' Cemetery, Seton Hill, Greensburg, PA. Memorial contributions may be made to the Sisters of Charity, DePaul Center, 144 DePaul Center Road, Greensburg, PA 15601. For more information, visit the website, www.scsh.org.
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