Sister Mary Thomas Jirauch, CDP, 84, died Feb. 11. Sister Mary Thomas ministered in education and in healthcare.
She was born Patricia Jirauch to Milton and Margaret (Thomas) Jirauch on Sept. 26, 1928 in St. Louis. She entered the Sisters of Divine Providence in St. Louis in 1946 and professed her final vows in 1952. She earned a bachelor of science from St. Louis University in 1958 and a master of health administration there in 1960. Sister Mary Thomas celebrated her 65th jubilee with the Divine Providence community in 2011.
Her teaching ministry included St. Mark School (Venice, 1949 and 1952-53) and St. Andrew School (Tipton, Mo., 1950-51). Sister Mary Thomas served at St. Elizabeth Medical Center (now Gateway Regional Medical Center) for 42 years. She was an administrator from 1960-86, a chairperson on the board of directors from 1987-99 and was the chairman of the board from 2000-02. She entered her final ministry of prayer in 2003 at Saint Clare's Villa in Alton, where she resided with other members of the Divine Providence Community.
Sister Mary Thomas was presented with numerous awards and certificates throughout her lifetime, including Healthcare Ethics in a Pluralistic Society — The Catholic Perspective (St. Louis, 1990), Foundation of the American College of Healthcare Executives — "Maximizing Organizational Effectiveness" (Chicago, 1990), Ethics in Caring II — "The Rationing of Healthcare" (St. Louis, 1992), Gateway Catholic Ethics Network — "Ethical Decision-Making in the '90s" (St. Louis, 1992), and Center for Healthcare Ethics — "Transforming the Culture of Healthcare" (St. Louis, 1997).
Sister Mary Thomas is survived by her cousins, Gene Madden, Jerry Madden, Joella Alderson, and Harriet Schmidt, and hundreds of Sisters of Divine Providence and Divine Providence Associates. She was preceded in death by her parents, her sister, Joan Ellsworth, and her cousins, Jim Madden and Tom Madden.
A memorial Mass will be celebrated at 11 a.m. at St. Elizabeth Church, 2300 Pontoon Road, Granite City, on March 2, 2013. Sister Mary Thomas donated her body to St. Louis University Medical School for medical research, so there will be no visitation or burial.
Memorials can be made to the Sisters of Divine Providence in care of the Development Office, Providence Center, 3415 Bridgeland Drive, Bridgeton, MO 63044-2604, or online at http://www.divineprovidenceweb.org/support-us/donate-now.php.