As Sister Agnita's eyes closed in death, her peaceful countenance gave testimony of a life lived in total dedication to God's Holy Will. As she was in life--gentle, self-effacing, generous in service, with an unusual ability to adapt to all circumstances, so she was in death, quietly responding to that last call of her Divine Bridegroom. Hers was a life of intense charity, always at the service of others, in her quiet humorous way. Never wasting a moment, she performed the countless ordinary tasks of each day in an extraordinary manner.

These very qualities which characterized her religious life were nurtured in her youthful days in her solidly Catholic home. Alice Ellen Donohue was born on a farm in White Lake Township, Oakland County, Michigan. She was the second oldest of ten children of William Donohue of Waterford County, Ireland, and Elizabeth Moroney of Shiawassee, Michigan. Being the oldest girl in a large family, she soon learned from her mother the many homemaking skills that contribute so much to happy family life. She attended the local country school and when it came time for First Communion, traveled ten miles to St. Vincent Church in Pontiac for instruction. Whether taking care of her brothers and sisters or learning at the local school, she displayed that generous spirit that was to continue throughout her life.

At the age of eighteen, Alice attended a dressmaking school in Pontiac. She became very proficient in this art and very generous in her use of it. It was at this time that a Catholic school was opened at St. Vincent's and the I.H.M. Sisters came to staff the school. When taking her younger brothers and sisters into St. Vincent's for First Communion instruction, she met Mother Brigid. After several meetings and conversations, Mother Brigid told her she had known her aunt, Sister Agnes Donohue who died in 1891, and suggested that she follow in her footsteps. Alice, who had been pondering this idea for some time needed no further invitation, and so on August 15, 1903, she entered St. Mary's Postulate. On December 29, of the same year she received the habit and the name, Sister Agnita. A year later she was followed to Monroe by her sister, Johanna, who became Sister AIphonsa.

After Sister Agnita became a professed religious on December 27, 1905, she was sent to Holy Redeemer school in Detroit to teach. For twenty-two years, with an interlude of four years at All Saints, Detroit, St. Mary, Monroe and St. Stephen, Port Huron, she taught boys of the fifth, sixth and seventh grades. These were the years when she became known as a "boys teacher." All the Sisters who worked with her testify that she was an excellent teacher, kind and firm, but always possessed of a good sense of humor. One time she was asked why she always held a yardstick in her hand while teaching math, she replied, "I can always measure the extent of the student's progress."

She was interested in each student and often would go over to school early at noon so she could help them with their arithmetic and grammar. Altar boys were her special charge and she devoted many years of her life to them. It was while training these boys that she often suggested to them that possibly they should have "Father" in front of their name when they grew up. Many of these boys followed her advice and felt that they were priests because of her interest.

In 1931 Sister Agnita was transferred to Holy Rosary. It was here, and later at Our Lady of Help and St. Charles, that she fulfilled the charge of procurator for the Community. She seemed to enjoy shopping and was adept at striking a bargain. She was a good provider and thoughtful of Sisters' needs. When this duty was given to a much younger Sister, she accompanied her with as much interest as if she still had the responsibility.

Sister Agnita's talents were many and varied. She was interested in painting and made numerous spiritual bouquets and medals for the Sisters and for the Superiors' feast. She took Sister Francesca's course in lettering and many a September found her going from classroom to classroom decorating and lettering the Sisters' blackboards for them. Her artistic ability was also used in making Agnus Dei and Mother of Perpetual badges.

During the summer vacations spent at the Motherhouse, Sister was occupied during the hour's work sewing cloaks. For years every postulant was measured by her and many a Sister was taught how to measure and fold in the pleat to make it fit the yoke. Sister was always very patient not matter how many mistakes were made. Very often she gave needed assistance to a Sister in her personal sewing. Many a summer afternoon when she was visiting with her niece in the sewing room, she was interrupted by a request for help. She always gave it graciously and pleasantly.

Her life of service for others included the priests of the various parishes at which she taught. She made rabbis and birettas for them and often repaired their well-worn cassocks.

When the winter of life gradually set in, she accepted this too with a graciousness born of love. In these later years she experienced some of the fruits of her apostolic life. Former pupils, now successful in business, visited her, grateful for the knowledge and encouragement she had imparted to them. Through her instrumentality, Christ had drawn thirty-eight priests to His vineyard--her former seventh and eighth grade students and altar boys.

In her years at St. Hugo after she had ceased to teach, she could be found working in the library, or counting and wrapping money, sewing, or performing countless other tasks. Idleness was never her lot. On one occasion a bank teller marveled that there had never been a mistake in the numerous wrapped coin that she had prepared for the bank. Students loved her so dearly that they would vie with one another to escort her from the convent to the school on slippery winter days. She was equally loved by the Sisters and her presence was considered a blessing in the house. Even in her final days there, she always attended evening recreation, delighting everyone with an exhaustless fund of anecdotes and classroom stories, while her hands were busy mending, or designing holy cards for others.

When she was called to spend her final years at the Motherhouse, she again responded totally to God's Holy Will, cheerfully adapting herself to her new surroundings. As in former years, she continued to be at the service of others, becoming an angel of mercy to the infirm, visiting them and consoling them. She busied herself sewing for those who were unable to do so, and frequently found clothes on her bed, the owners confident that they would be mended and returned within the week. At the time of her death, she had all the pictures ready to put on the calendars for the Sisters in Ligouri Hall and the Infirmary for the following Christmas.

In her final months when she was at last confined to bed, she again accepted the Will of God with resignation. As she gradually grew weaker, a deep inward peace and detachment seemed to radiate from her. One of the nurses remarked of her uncomplaining spirit,"No matter what you do to her, it's all right."

"Life is meant to end, and meant to begin again," and so on the evening of July 28, her frail humanity gave up its soul, so that the dawn of a new life might burst forth in splendor. A true daughter of St. Alphonsus, the example of her dedication will continue to live on in the hearts of those who knew and loved her.

Sister Rosemarion
Sister Ann Agnes