Submitted by: Dan Rich
Jan. 22, 1914 - Sept. 2, 2002
South Bend Tribune 9/3/2002
Sister Mary Xavier (Ellen Louise O'Connor), CSC, 88, was born in Ogden, Utah, Jan. 22, 1914. She was the daughter of the late Martin J. and Elizabeth McMahon O'Connor. She was also preceded in death by her sister, Sister M. Mercedes (O'Connor), CSC.
Sister is survived by her elder sister, Sister Elizabeth Marie (O'Connor), CSC, St. Mary's, Notre Dame, Ind.; nieces, Louise Peder of Bartlett, Tenn., Jean Rollo of Wauwatosa, Wis., and Jean Lowe of Berthoud, Colo.; and by a nephew, David Littlefield of Roseville, Calif.
Sister Xavier was a graduate of Sacred Heart Academy, Ogden. She attended Sacred Heart School of Nursing, Spokane, Wash., passed the nursing boards exam, was a registered nurse and gained her bachelor of science degree from Saint Mary of the Wasatch. Sister was active in the nursing field before entering the Congregation of the Sisters of the Holy Cross. She entered the Congregation, the second of the O'Connor girls to do so, in 1937, and was professed in 1939.
Sister's nursing career was mostly in the West, spanning over 46 years. She was assigned to the old and the new St. Agnes Hospital, Fresno, and Holy Cross Hospital, San Fernando, both in California, Holy Cross Hospital, Salt Lake City, Utah, and St. Alphonsus Hospital, Boise, Idaho. Sister was assigned as nurse at the Provincial House, Ogden, for a year, and at St. Catherine by the Sea, Ventura, Calif., for seven years. She was in pastoral care at Holy Cross Hospital, Mission Hills, Calif., for a short time, and then retired to Saint Mary's Convent, Notre Dame, Ind., and was active in the Ministry of Prayer until her death.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Sisters of the Holy Cross Ministry with the Poor Fund, St. Mary's, Notre Dame, IN 46556. Wake service is on Wednesday, Sept. 4, at 4 p.m. in the Church of Our Lady of Loretto, Saint Mary's, Notre Dame. Funeral service is on Thursday, Sept. 5, at 10:30 a.m. in the Church of Our Lady of Loretto, Saint Mary's, Notre Dame. The Kaniewski Funeral Home is handling arrangements.