Obituary of Sister Marion McGuigan

SISTER MARION McGUIGAN Sister Marion died peacefully at Santa Maria Senior Citizens Home, Regina, on Tuesday, February 21, 2012. Born in Regina on June 9, 1924, Sister was predeceased by her parents, Louis and Ruth (Tittemore) McGuigan. She is survived by her brothers Roland (Betty) and Douglas (Carol), nephews David (Beverley), Brian (Angela), Kevin (Margaret), Terry and Patrick, and nieces Susan (Dave) Exner, Karen McGuigan (Jim Bennett) and Nancy (Blake) Kuntz. Sister attended Holy Rosary School and Sacred Heart Academy in Regina. In 1942 Marion joined the Sisters of Our Lady of the Missions, where she was given the name Sister Mary Bertrand. Marion taught elementary school for a total of thirty-three years in Lebret Public School, St. Francis and St. Josephs in Saskatoon, and Sacred Heart, St. Pius X, and Jean Vanier Schools in Regina. Sister was both a musician and an artist. As a high school student she played the organ at the Cathedral for daily Masses and the refurbished organ there bears her name. Piano, recorder, clarinet (Lions Club Senior Band), guitar, mandolin (Regina Mandolin Orchestra) were her instruments and the Melody Lads were her chorus. With the help of her religious sisters, Marion started Jean Vanier School in 1969 and in 1973 extended her ministry by opening Garritty Home for cognitively challenged youth. This was followed in 1988 by Kramer Home, from which she retired in 2005. These two Homes having been taken over by the Clare Parker Homes, another was added this year, bearing the name McGuigan Home. Poor health obliged Sister to seek nursing care at Santa Maria in 2007. The McGuigan family and her Sisters in religion are most grateful for the gracious care given to Sister Marion during her time at Santa Maria. In lieu of flowers, friends may wish to send a donation to the Mission Fund of the Sisters of Our Lady of the Missions, 310 Provencher Blvd., Winnipeg, MB, R2H 0G7. A Vigil Service will be held at Santa Maria, 4215 Regina Avenue, Regina, SK on Thursday, February 23 at 7:00 p.m. and Funeral Mass will be celebrated at Holy Rosary Cathedral, 2104 Garnet Street, Regina, SK on Friday, February 24 at 10.30 a.m. with Rev. Glenn Zimmer, O.M.I. presiding. Interment will be at Riverside Memorial Park at a later date. To leave an online message of condolence, please visit www.speersfuneralchapel.com