RUMA — Sister Teresa Young, ASC, died Aug. 7. She was 67 years old and had been an Adorer of the Blood of Christ for 47 years.
Mary Teresa Young was born on Nov. 2, 1944, in Oceanside, Calif., the only daughter of Thomas and Teresa (Theis) Young, and grew up in Wichita, Kan., where she spent three years as an aspirant with the Adorers in the former Wichita Province. She entered the Adorers of the Blood of Christ on Dec. 30, 1963, was received into the community on July 1, 1964, and made first vows on July 1, 1965, and final vows on June 28, 1970. She was known as Sister Mary Brian Young until she changed to her baptismal name in the late 1960s.
Sister Teresa received a bachelor's degree in physical therapy from St. Louis University in 1969 and a master's in college teaching from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1977. In her health care ministry, she served at St. Clement's/Red Bud Regional in Red Bud (1971-1973; 1996-1997). From 1978-1979, she worked at the Institute of Rehabilitation and Research in Houston as coordinator of staff development and continuing education. In 1979, she began the first of two times to minister at Taylorville Memorial Hospital/St. Vincent's Memorial Hospital. At the end of a sabbatical year in 1994, Sister Teresa visited the Spitali Ortopedik Hospital for disabled children in Albania, then began work as director of the department of physical therapy at St. Mary's Hospital in East St. Louis and continued there until 1996. She ministered in home health service for Southern Illinois Healthcare from 1997-2002, and returned to Taylorville for home health service from 2002-2012.
Sister Teresa's father Thomas preceded her in death. Her mother Teresa, brothers Thomas (Joann) and Brian (Brenda), all of the Denver area, and John (Dreda) of Tucson, Ariz., nieces, nephews; and community members survive her.
The Mass of Christian Burial was Aug. 11, in the Ruma Center chapel, followed by burial in the community cemetery. A memorial Mass was to be celebrated at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 18, at St. Mary's Church in Taylorville.
Memorial contributions may be sent to the ASC Retirement Fund, 4233 Sulphur Ave., St. Louis, MO 63109. Or, make on-line contributions at www.adorers.org by clicking on "Support Our Ministries" on the website's left-hand column.