In Memoriam

Joan Heyburn, 92, DIED June 16, 2006, in Little Rock. Joan was born 27-May-14, was clothed in 1956, and professed on July 19, 1959, taking the devotional name Ann Joseph of the Infant Jesus. Joan taught dance at Our Lady of the Holy Souls School. She had been inactive since the late 1990's due to illness.

--submitted by Little Rock
Community of Blessed Anne of Bartholomew

Patricia Ann Jokerst, born 20-Apr-32, was clothed March 18, 1979 and professed on 26-Apr-81. Patricia made her Defintive Promise in 1984 in Lafayette. Pat was delighted to be a secular Carmelite and volunteered time as a portress for our nuns. Prior to finding Carmel she and her husband Charlie were devoted to the Enthronement of the Sacred Heart and the Immaculate Heart and she belonged to the Legion of Mary. They spent their lives working for God. Pat had two daughters and many Grandchildren. A wonderful woman to know and admire.

--submitted by Lafayette
Community of Mary, Mother of Grace

Dona Kaye Warren OCDS, went to her final reward on September 4, 2006, after an eight-month passion. She was a blessing to our Carmelite Community and was a true gentle woman of prayer. She had many gifts but didn't seem to realize how evident they were.

She was born in Kalamazoo, Michigan, on August 13, 1940. She was admitted into formation in Michigan but transferred to the Mary Queen of Carmel Community in Conyers, and was professed on July 10, 1991. Her Definitive Promise followed in 1994, and Vows in 1995.

Dona's humility was genuine and revealed itself in her honesty about her limitations. Her love for our Carmelite community was obvious to all by her perseverance in attending monthly meetings at the Monastery of Our Lady of the Holy Spirit in Conyers, despite a traveling distance of 143.67 miles each way!

In 2002, Dona accepted the position of Formation Director. She asked for and accepted suggestions with humility. Her dedication was evidenced by her compilation of our Carmelite Formation Program into three volumes, which were beautifully bound. She covered the expenses of this project herself.

Dona and her husband, Jack, and their two children, Jack and Fran, opened their home to troubled foster children. The experience left Dona with a wise understanding of human nature and our frailties. Her kindness and charity were exemplary. She was wise in discerning vocations and always charitable in understanding others.

We love Dona. She never forced her opinion on anyone and was always compatible. Everyone felt comfortable in her presence because of her marvelous wit and refreshing outlook on life. Her inner peace and joy were obvious. We will miss her terribly; however, our faith tells us her sufferings will bring many blessings. What a gift it was to know her!

--submitted by Conyers GA
Community of Mary, Queen of Carmel

A Meditation from Dona

"Next to my bed I put the face of Jesus, so I go to sleep facing Him and wake to see His face again in the morning. His face comforts me, even though it is the crucified Lord, because it is the face of the one perfect love who gave His life so I might have a life of hope. Where there is hope, there is no despair, only love. Love for all that God allows, for His gifts and His admonishments as well. Never have I been so foolish as to be angry with God. However tried and tested I might have been, yet there have been times when I felt uncertain, abandoned, even doubted. It was during these times that I wept the most.

The sadness overwhelmed me so I could not imagine going on; what purpose could there be outside of being so loved. Jesus came to take away our fear of the finality of death; He promised us a heavenly paradise where there would be no more tears, sickness or pain. He gave us the hope of living with Him in heaven for all eternity, a life of joy and love.

Is that not something we all want? I do, but I want more, I want to be possessed by God, consumed into His most perfect and divine will. There are many these days predicting chastisements and sufferings yet to come, before the second coming of our Lord - every one of them having differing details. I don't ignore what I've heard, I just store them in my closet (memory) and rather than fret and seek them out, I prefer to grow closer to the One who will judge us. What's the use of all the revelations if we fail to fall into union with His will? What purpose would my entertaining a lot of "what ifs", when He has shown us the way? It will take a child-like trust and confidence and those of us who fail in this will be lost due to our own self will.

--Dona Warren, 15-Feb-04