Rosemary Ward

Sister Rosemary Ward died on Oct. 21, 2020, in Union Hospital, Terre Haute. She was born on April 7, 1936 in Chicago, IL, to George G. and Catherine Jehn Ward.
Sister Rosemary entered the Congregation of the Sisters of Providence on July 22, 1958 and received the name Sister Sebastian. She professed Final Vows on Aug. 15, 1966. She earned a bachelor's degree from Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College and a master's degree from North Dakota University.
Of her 62 years as a Sister of Providence, she ministered in education for 11 years in high schools in Indiana and Illinois. Leaving teaching, she was a computer programmer for Household Finance in Prospect Heights, IL, for seven years. In 1988, she moved to the position of assistant manager for religious medical programs at Christian Brothers Services in Romeoville, IL, and over the 21 years that she ministered there, she was promoted to Manager and then Director of Systems and Services.
Retiring in 2009, she became very active in groups working for justice, in particular, against human trafficking. In 2014, she organized a center for teaching English as a Second Language. For this work, she was given the Outstanding Tutor of the Year award from Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner at a conference sponsored by the University of Illinois at Chicago, the Literacy Office of the Illinois State Library and the Literacy Volunteers of Illinois.
Sister Rosemary's organizational skills were well developed. Yet as she worked with the big picture, she was always mindful of those with whom and for whom she was working. She had an innate kindness that extended to all she met.
She is survived by a brother, George, of Tucson, AZ. She is preceded in death by two brothers, Michael and Andrew Ward; and a sister, Joan Ostrand.
Due to the restrictions on group meetings, no public wake and funeral is scheduled. Burial is in the cemetery of the Sisters of Providence on Oct. 27. DeBaun Funeral Homes and Crematory assisted with arrangements. Memorial contributions may be made to the Sisters of Providence, 1 Sisters of Providence, Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, IN 47876-1007. One may share or read memories of Sr. Rosemary on the Sisters of Providence web page at:
www.spsmw.org/category/obituaries

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