Sister Dorothy (Agnes Cecile) Feehan, BVM
Sister Dorothy (Agnes Cecile) Feehan, BVM, 93, died Sunday, June 14, 2020, at Caritas Center in Dubuque, Iowa.
Sharing of Memories, Virtual Visitation, and funeral services were Friday, June 19, 2020 in the Marian Hall Chapel. Burial is in the Mount Carmel Cemetery.
She was born on Feb. 15, 1927, in Oak Park, Ill., to James and Irene (Davy) Feehan. She entered the BVM congregation on Feb. 2, 1945, from Ascension Parish, Oak Park, Ill. She professed first vows on Aug. 15, 1947, and final vows on Aug. 15, 1952.
Sister Dorothy was an education department instructor at Clarke University, Dubuque, Iowa. She was an elementary teacher in Fort Dodge and Sioux City, Iowa; Chicago; and in Missoula, Mont., where she also served as principal and later as a spiritual director.
After serving as a regional representative for the BVM Congregation, she was a pastoral minister in Longmont and Arvada, Colo., where she also ministered as religious education director. She was a ministry training services staff member in Littleton, Colo.
She was preceded in death by her parents and sisters: Mary Margaret Graver, Cecilia O’Meara, and Irene Allen. She is survived by nieces and the Sisters of Charity, BVM, with whom she shared life for 74 years.
Memorials may be given to Sisters of Charity, BVM Support Fund, 1100 Carmel Drive, Dubuque, IA 52003 or online at https://www.bvmsisters.org/support_donate.cfm.
Dorothy Feehan BVM.EulogyWatch Sharing of Memories, Virtual Visitation and Funeral Service for Dorothy (Dot) Feehan, BVM
Sharing of Memories for Dorothy (Dot) Feehan
Sr. Agnes Cecile was my principal at St. Anthony School in Missoula for 5 years. Great memories of her. What a job, to run a flourishing, bursting at the seams school during such a turbulent time of change in society and the Church. She handled it with wisdom, strength and humor. Later as an adult I came to know “Dot” in a women’s prayer group. She was a sanctuary of spiritual wisdom for many. I treasure time in her presence. Thank you, Lord, for the gift she was and continues to be.
May her memory be eternal! Her gift and that of other BVM’s to the people in Montana will be cherished forever.
Sr. Dorothy and I have been good friends since grade school days. “Dot” and I grew up
together in Ascension Parish, Oak Park, IL, and graduated in 1940. We had a good visit
when our Sinsinawa Senior Singers entertained the BVM’s last year. May she rest in peace.
Sister Dorothy and I were good friends, growing up in Ascension Parish, Oak Park, IL.
We had good visits the past few years when our Sinsinawa Senior Singers sang
for the BVM’s. May she rest in peace.
Dot was a blessing to Colorado. She was part of a team who helped bring team ministry to St Anne Parish in Arvada and it became a model for other team ministry. Dot was there for me when I was transitioning from the BVMs and I am thankful to have been able to see her again during the last two years.
Sister Agnes Cecile and Mrs. Helen O’Leary split the teaching duties of our 8th Grade Class at Corpus Christi (CC) in 1961. It was my first year at CC, having moved to FD from Wisconsin.
Both were terrific people. Sister and Mrs. O’Leary juggled are large class with equanimity and dispatch. Some of us, especially the lads, were a handful. Sister’s Irish temperament and ever-ready smile served her well, I believe, in her chosen walk of life. Gosh. That was such a long time ago, was it not?
After high school, Sister’s path and mine crossed again in Dubuque, Iowa. I was attending Loras, visiting my future wife, Rita, at Clarke College, when I accidentally “ran” into Sister in the lobby of Ritie’s dorm. Sister was teaching at Clarke.
Thanks to our ‘65 Classmate, Jim Savage, I tracked Sister down in 2017. Rita and I visited her at the BVM Retirement home in Dubuque. We brunched at a quaint French bistro in the re-emerging downtown-river area, traveled up to Eagle Point Park for auld lang syne and drove passed the Clarke Campus. Sister, now in her 90’s, was sharp as a tack. She and Ritie got along famously (I didn’t even need to be there ….. : ) …….)
As Rita’s illness in its later stages overtook our lives, I neglected my contact with
Sister. Now, with this notice of Sister’s death, I am painfully reminded of the need to stay connected in life.
As one who reads this can probably easily discernI liked the Irish Nun very much. Thank you, Sister Dot, for all that you did for me. God bless you and have mercy on your immortal soul.
Tom Ferguson
Class of ‘61
Corpus Christi
The BVM order helped to shape our positive personal development. The 19960 High School Class of Holy Angles Academy Milwaukee WI have fond memories of sister Agnes Cecile teaching service to us. We hold her and the order in our thoughts and prayers.