Sister Marie de Paul Combo

Sister Marie de Paul Combo, SCL

April 8, 1924 - April 1, 2024

LEAVENWORTH, KS - Sister Marie de Paul Combo, 99, a Sister of Charity of Leavenworth (SCL) for 75 years, died on April 1, 2024.

Born Kathryn Cecelia Combo on April 8, 1924, in Butte, MT, she entered religious life on August 19, 1948, and took the name Sister Marie de Paul when she received her habit.

Sister Marie de Paul attended Saint Mary College for two years before serving as a teacher and administrator in schools in Colorado, Kansas, California, Missouri, and Oklahoma. She served as the Archdiocesan Supervisor of Schools in Kansas City, Kansas. Sister Marie de Paul taught and served as associate dean at St. Thomas Seminary in Denver and taught at Donnelly College in Kansas City, KS. During those ministries, she involved herself in social justice issues like fair housing and school integration. She was appointed the first SCL Social Justice Network Facilitator in 1987, where she served for approximately 20 years. She was a charter member of NETWORK, the National Catholic Social Justice Lobby, and received its Woman of Justice award in 1997. From 1997 to 2013, she served as the SCL liaison to the NGO Charity Federation and many other social justice organizations.

Sister Marie de Paul will be remembered for her passion for social justice. Sister Mary Jo McDonald, SCL, said of her, "She… always put social justice first, a woman who taught us all the meaning of social justice, and taught us what we needed to in our lives to make sure that we were following the tenets of Vincent de Paul working for the vulnerable and the poor."

Preceding Sister Marie de Paul in death were her parents; sister, Mary Jule Roletto; brother, John, his wife, Eileen Sullivan Combo, and their daughter, Mary Ellen; brother, James "Gitch," his wife, LaVerne Benne Combo, and their son, Dan; and sister-in-law, Sheila Gallivan Combo. Survivors include brother Dan; many nieces and nephews; and the SCL Community.

There will be a vigil service at 7:00 p.m., Monday, April 29, 2024, in Ross Chapel, SCL Mother House, Leavenworth. Mass of Resurrection will be celebrated in Ross Chapel at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, April 30, 2024. Interment will follow in Mount Olivet Cemetery, Mother House grounds.

Memorial contributions can be made to the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth, 4200 S. 4th St., Leavenworth, KS, 66048.