Memorials

Silvia Chester
Killeen, Texas

Our beloved sister Silvia Chester was born Nov. 3, 1935, in Chirriqui, Panama, was professed March 21, 1999 at Cedarbrake in Belton, Texas, made her Definitive Promise in 2003 and died in Temple on July 18, 2007.

She worked very hard for our group as our secretary and translated a lot of documents into Spanish for us. She was a member of our council. Due to her illness (emphysema), she was confined to her home during the last months of her life. But she always kept in contact with the group; our group also always kept in touch with her. Silvia was a very organized person. She had two daugthers and a son. Our group and her family were with her until her last hour of life. She was called to the Father's house at the age of 71. She was a great woman, mother and sister in Carmel, a wonderful Carmelite to know and to admire.

—Angel Moises Acosta, Killeen

Louise DeBlanc, Monita Oubre, Lucy Fitch

New Iberia, LA


The following members of Mary, Beloved of the Trinity Community in New Iberia, La., announces the death of the following members:

• Louise DeBlanc, born on Oct. 25, 1919, and died on Aug. 13, 2005. She was professed on May 7, 1982, taking the devotional name of "Theresa of the Cross," and made her Definitive Promise in 1985.

• Monita Oubre, born on Feb. 20, 1917, and died on Aug. 3, 2007. She was professed on May 15, 1988, taking the devotional name of "Monica of Holy Souls," and made her Definitive Promise in 1991.

• Lucy Fitch, born on Aug. 6, 1928, and died on Aug. 9, 2007. She was professed on Nov. 18, 2001, taking the devotional name of "Mary Lucy Therese," and made her Definitive Promise in 2004.

—Terri Hebert, New Iberia

Eleanor Lindauer St. Louis

On Aug. 9, 2007, the memorial of St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, our St. Louis community lost another of our dear members. Eleanor Lindauer, whose name in Carmel was Carmel of Mary, had been a resident of St. Agnes Home for some years, a facility run by the Carmelites of the Divine Heart of Jesus. She was born on May 22, 1910, and entered Carmel in July 1975. Her clothing took place in September 1977, First Promise Nov. 21, 1982, and Definitive Promise Oct. 16, 1983. Eleanor had been a nun earlier in her life and had never married after leaving the convent. She was especially close to another member of our community who has since moved to Texas to live near her children, Esther Schmitt.

Eleanor never held office in the community but was an unofficial ambassador of welcome and a delight to the community and to all who knew her.

At the memorial Mass the priest at St. Agnes Home said that he found her to be always smiling, a quiet woman who loved people and was at peace with herself. He said that we get to be at peace with ourselves when we are one with Christ. And we get to be one with Christ through prayer and the Eucharist. Being in Christ's Heart we then try to be better and to bring him to others. He said, Christ is the way, the truth and the life and that Eleanor showed the way to follow Christ to others.

One little personal note: When I came to my first meeting at Carmel in 1988 the president and the formation director were both unexpectedly unable to attend, and a member offered to show a travelog movie of a trip to the Holy Land. I was very disappointed and was leaving when this smiling, friendly woman came up to me and introduced herself as Eleanor and asked if I was a new member. I told her it was my first meeting, but it wasn't what I thought it would be and wouldn't be coming back again. She said, "Oh, dear, please don't judge us by this meeting. Please come back again and see for yourself." Well, thank God for Eleanor seeking me out to speak to me and invite me back.

Eleanor didn't attend many meetings after that because of age, poor health and not being able to drive, so I didn't get to know her well. But for those who did know her she was a warm, gentle, friendly, prayerful woman who showed others the way to Christ's Heart. She will be missed.

—Sharon Schulte, St. Louis