Sister Marie Markel, IHM, died Sunday, April 10, 2022, at the IHM Motherhouse health care center after sixty-five years as IHM Sister Lawrence Mary.
Born Marie Elaine Markel on Sept. 15, 1935, to Lawrence and Mary (Smith) Markel of Marine City, Michigan, she grew up with a sister and six brothers on the family farm on Markel Road and many aunts, uncles and cousins in the near vicinity. Marie attended Holy Cross Elementary and graduated from Holy Cross High School.
After entering the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary in 1957, her education expanded with degrees from Marygrove College, Wayne State University and SS. Cyril and Methodius Seminary.
Sr. Marie ministered in formal elementary education at St. Catherine and St. Matthew (Detroit); Hall of the Divine Child (Monroe); St. Gerard Majella (Kirkwood, Missouri) and the John Carroll School in Oklahoma City. In 1980, a great change came as she transitioned into Pastoral Ministry, Parish Administration and Liturgy Coordination. She shared her gifts in Parish Ministry and as Director of Religious Education with the parish of St. Thomas Aquinas (Detroit) for over 10 years, St. Regis (Birmingham), and at Holy Family Parish, Saginaw. It was at Holy Spirit Parish beginning in 1999 that she would flourish and find a home in parish, pastoral and liturgical ministries for over 20 years. Sr. Marie was well respected and well known in these ministries. In the later Saginaw years, she was challenged by illnesses, which sadly, caused her to leave the ministries and people she so loved. In recent years, she resided at the IHM Motherhouse before entering the health care center.
Sr. Marie is survived by sister Sylvia Dietlin, cousin Sr. Mary Ann (John Andrew) Markel, IHM, and many nieces and nephews. Her brothers, Bernard, Charles, Clair, Kenneth, Lynn and Marvin preceded her.
Read Sister Marie’s Remembering.