Obituary of SISTER GABRIEL (HELEN) CZARNOWAS, O.S.B

SISTER GABRIEL (HELEN) CZARNOWAS, O.S.B Sister Gabriel, 91, died peacefully at St. Joseph’s Residence, Winnipeg, on Thursday, January 5, 2012. She was in her 70th year of monastic profession. Sr. Gabriel was born on September 2, 1920 in Winnipegosis, Manitoba, the second eldest of nine children of Stanley and Antonia (Dyrkacz) Czarnowas. Her parents did mixed farming in the Winnipegosis area. Sr. Gabriel entered the Benedictine Sisters in Arborg, Manitoba on June 29, 1940 and made her monastic profession on August 18, 1942. She was a very dedicated, tidy and prayerful person by nature and these traits were honed during her many years of monastic life and gentle care-giving in her nursing ministry. She began her nursing career at Johnson Memorial Hospital (Gimli), followed by years of service at Sacred Heart Hospital (Russell), Crerar Hospital (Winnipegosis), St. Mary’s Hospital (Birtle) and the Russell District Hospital (Russell). She is remembered as a dedicated, comforting nurse who always had a caring smile. Following her retirement from nursing in 1990, Sr. Gabriel resided at St. Benedict’s Monastery, where she was actively engaged at St. Benedict’s Retreat and Conference Centre for six years (1991-97) extending hospitality to Centre guests. She was always most faithful to community prayer. She loved to crochet and to work in the garden tending her raspberry bushes and flower gardens, picking and cleaning vegetables, rooting out dandelion plants, as well as shoveling snow or tidying wherever needed. In late 2009 she suffered a severe set-back in her health due to complications following a fractured hip and needed to be placed at Misericordia Health Centre and later at St. Joseph’s Residence. She was predeceased by her parents Stanley and Antonia, brothers Joseph, Thomas and Stanley, and sister Josephine. She is survived by sisters Alice Zwarich of Calgary, Lillian (Peter) Boyko of Burbank, Illinois, Sr. Angela, O.S.B., Winnipeg, Mary (Arnold) Groot Koerkamp, Winnipeg and many nieces, nephews, great-nieces and nephews, cousins and the members of her Monastic Community. A Vigil Service will be held on Sunday, January 8, 2012 at 7:00 pm at St. Benedict’s Monastery, presided by the Prioress, Sr. Virginia Evard, O.S.B. Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Monday, January 9, 2012 at 10:30 am at St. Benedict’s Monastery. Presider will be Msgr. Louis McCloskey with commendation by Sr. Virginia Evard, Prioress. Interment will follow in the Monastery Cemetery. Flowers are gratefully declined. If friends so wish, donations may be made in Sr. Gabriel’s memory to St. Benedict’s Foundation, 225 Masters Avenue, Winnipeg, Manitoba R4A 2A1. The Benedictine Sisters would like to express their gratitude to Dr. T. Babick, the nursing staff of Misericordia Health Centre 5th Floor, St. Joseph’s Residence and St. Benedict’s Monastery Health Centre for their generous care of Sr. Gabriel. May she rest in peace.