Deanna Marie (Bernita) Carr, BVM
Sister Deanna Marie (Bernita) Carr, BVM, 79, died at Marian Hall in Dubuque, Iowa, Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2020, at 6:10 a.m.
Funeral Services were Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2020, in the Marian Hall Chapel.
Sister Deanna was born on May 20, 1940, in Portland, Ore., to William and Lillian Messner Carr. She entered the BVM congregation on Aug. 2, 1959, from Christ the King Parish in Seattle. She professed first vows on Feb. 2, 1962, and final vows on July 16, 1967.
Sister Deanna ministered as pastoral administrator at Sts. Cyril & Methodius Parish in Stockett, Mont., and Holy Trinity Parish in Centerville, Mont.; lay ecclesial pastoral coordinator at St. Gabriel Parish in Port Orchard, Wash.; ministry outreach coordinator for the Diocese of Great Falls, Mont.; and pastoral life director for the Archdiocese of Seattle. She also was a secondary teacher at Our Lady of Peace in St. Paul, Minn. She served as the director of the National Sisters Vocation Conference. She served the BVM community as director of associates, secretary to the president, assistant archivist, and archivist.
She was preceded in death by her parents. She is survived by sisters Bernadette (John) Hart, Seattle; Colleen (Mike) Wartelle, Everett, Wash.; and Judith (John) Downing, Seattle; niece(s); nephew(s); cousins, including Sister Kathleen Carr, BVM; and the Sisters of Charity, BVM, with whom she shared life for 60 years.
Memorials may be given to Sisters of Charity, BVM Support Fund, 1100 Carmel Drive, Dubuque, IA 52003 or make an online gift.
Deanna Marie Carr Eulogy Deanna Marie Carr Sharing of Memories
Sister Deanna was a blessing to our parish as a leader when we were without an assigned pastor. With energy and enthusiasm she engaged parishioners and helped revitalize our parish.
Just A Very Strong Beautiful Lady, A Real Angel On Earth Who Has Now Gone Home. That Lady Never Stopped Working Always On The Go. RIP.
A Beautiful Woman, Human, A Real Angel On Earth. Never Slowed Down, Always Busy Something To Get Done. Will Miss Sister Deanna . This World Is A Lesser Place Without Her, Heaven Is Blessed With Her. R.I.P.
Deanna
A quiet, consecrated lady slips into heaven, not leaving her bed. Closes her eyes on earth and opens them in heaven. Classy in prayer, on a first class solemn feast, the solemnity of her friend, Our Lady. Sicut liliam inter spinas, she prays to herself with half a groan, half chuckle in her throat, and a twinkle of big and beautiful brown eyes. Without a movement, it seems, she transits over a thin threshold
and joins the choir of eternity. Always young in memory, always wiser than her years . I wonder now who will replace her as a voice in prayer for those she favored in this world? Yellow roses she put before Mary for many years. Are those roses, kept by Mary, waiting for Deanna now?
Bob Doud January 1, 2020
Sister Deanna was a great friend and we have kept in touch since her service to our Parish in Holy Trinity in Centerville Montana.. she was a great leader in our parish and taught us many things that we still do at our church…..She truly will be missed by many, she really was a great helper to me when my husband died in 2017… calling and writing many a note to cheer me on.. lots of great advice and help to get back in the groove and go on by myself.. she will never be forgotten.. I loved her dearly… she was one great lady in my world.. and the rest of the world too. How Many Did She Help with our struggles??? always had the right thing to say..Lots love and prayers for all of us left behind.. Pray and know that we will see her in our next journey. Barb Francetich. Sand Coulee Montana.. Holy Trinity Parish…
This wonderful lady led me through Confirmation as an adult. I am thankful for the gift of her presence in my life. Rest well, Dear Sister. Surely committing your life to God’s will has delivered you to paradise.
Sister Deanna was my boss and mentor many years. She had high standards and taught us well. She was my favorite boss to work for, I also loved her wicked sense of humor. I just loved her.
Deanna was a treasured friend when we were in high school. While I am sad at her passing, it is heartening to read of the wonderful life she led over these 61 years since our paths diverged. She will not be forgotten.
I met Deanna, the first day of entertaining the noviate. You might say we were roommates. We were putting things away in the strange cubicles which were side by side. Deanna is one of the most beautiful women, I was privileged to know. She could see like no other. She had Spiritual Vision. And she could elicit a laugh when no one was expecting it.
I was in the set of 1959. I remember Deanna well. She was a small woman with the ability to be friends when she was 18. I also knew about her ability to write well. I loved reading all the comments people have written about her and their love for her. I especially liked seeing the names of Marie Burton, a beautiful woman I knew in our set, and Sister Mary St Etienne who I also loved. Sincerely, Sylvia Spera Stites
Dear Marie,
It was a joy to see your comment here about Deanna and see your name after all these years. I hope you are well and enjoying life. All is well with me and my husband and life is full for us after 50 years of marriage. Love to you, Sylvia
Thank-you all my BVM friends for the beautiful spiritual send off for my sister Deanna. Your great support of her especially during her last months will be with me and my husband Mike forever. We had beautiful weather while in Dubque, missing all snow and sleet, and arrived in Seattle to the same beautiful weather. Today we have snow! I believe Deanna arranged for the easy travel and good weather. A gift.
Colleen
Deanna Carr was my English teacher in my senior year at Our Lady of Peace High School in St. Paul. She was a beautiful person, bright, lively and good-humored, with a great talent for the written word. A poet herself, she encouraged my own writing and helped me make it better. But what I remember most was some advice she gave me when I was worrying about what I should do after high school and how things might turn out. She said simply, “You are trying to live in the future, and that can be as bad as living in the past.” It is a lesson as useful now as when I was 18: not to reject sensible planning, but to understand that we cannot control what could happen, but only how we are acting now. The world is better for all she gave it.