Sisters of Providence who will celebrate milestone jubilees of religious life on July 26 in Seattle include several who have served in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles:

Sister Rebecca (Elizabeth Jean) Berghoff (70 years) was born in Yakima, Wash., and entered the Sisters of Providence in 1943 in Seattle. A longtime teacher and administrator, she taught in Olympia, Yakima, Seattle and Sun Valley, Calif., and served 18 years at Providence High School, Burbank, including 13 as principal. She also spent 25 years as principal of St. Joseph/Marquette Academy in Yakima.

Sister Anne (Rose) Deuprey (70) grew up in Long Beach and Oakland, trained to become an opera singer, and entered the novitiate in 1944 after working as a registered nurse. She spent 30 years in nursing, primarily in Washington, and served as a staff nurse on the psychiatric unit at Harborview Medical Center and in a ministry focused on the elderly poor, especially alcoholics, in Portland’s Burnside area.

Sister Katherine Ann (Mary Theodora) Markel (70) from North Dakota entered the novitiate in 1943. She taught in Seattle, Vancouver, Tacoma, Yakima, Burbank and Fairbanks. She later ministered to the elderly and the sick, teaching religious education and making home visits, and volunteered as a teacher’s aide.

Sister Lucille (Assunta Marie) Dean (60) was born in Seattle and entered the novitiate in 1953. Her longtime career as a teacher and education administrator included serving as principal of her former elementary school, St. Catherine, in Seattle, and as a teacher, vice principal and principal of Providence High School in Burbank. She also was a provincial superior and provincial council member of the former Sacred Heart Province, and chairperson and board member of Providence Health & Services. Now retired, she lives in Seattle and is active in the religious community, on several boards, and as a volunteer.

Sister Mary Margaret (Patrice Marie) Kelly (60) of Olympia, Wash., entered the Sisters of Providence in 1954 after four years working as a registered nurse. She was a foundress of the Sisters of Providence mission in Argentina, nursing supervisor at Providence Portland Medical Center, and supervised pastoral care at St. Joseph Medical Center, Burbank

Sister Charlotte (Paulette) Van Dyke (60) entered the Sisters of Providence in 1954 after two years as a student nurse at Seattle University and has served in teaching, nursing, hospital administration and law. Locally, she was a nurse at St. Joseph Hospital, and then served for 20 years in administrative positions with Providence Health System. She earned her law degree and shared a practice in Seattle, specializing in family law for low-income clients. 

Sister Felma (Fely Meneses)Cerezo (50) was born on the island of Luzon in the Philippines. She entered the Sisters of Providence in 1963 and after earning an associate degree in arts and sciences, she served in occupational therapy and created an arts and crafts program in Seattle. For 26 years, she taught all manner of art classes at Providence High School, Burbank. Today, she is the official photographer for Mother Joseph Province, and is involved in volunteer projects for the community.

Saint Mary-of-the-Woods

Among 10 Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Ind., who will celebrate 50 years in the congregation in 2014 are two with ties to the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.

Sister Loretta Picucci, a native of Chicago, entered the Congregation in 1964, and professed perpetual vows in 1976. She graduated from Loyola University with a bachelor’s degree in Latin, and has ministered in Indiana, Washington, D.C., Illinois and Mississippi, as well as Southern California.

Locally, she has served with the South Central Los Angeles Ministry Project (LAMP) from 1999-2003 as an ESL teacher and program director. Sister Picucci currently serves in Hispanic ministry at Providence in the Desert, Coachella, Calif.

Sister Barbara (Alexa Marie) Reder, a native of Cincinnati, entered the Congregation in 1964, and professed perpetual vows in 1975. She earned a bachelor’s degree in home economics from Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College, a master’s degree in public health from UCLA, and a master’s degree in pastoral ministry from Seattle University.

In the L.A. Archdiocese, Sister Reder has been a dietetic intern and student, Veteran’s Administration Hospital and UCLA (1970-72); eighth-grade teacher at St. Therese School, Alhambra (1973); clinical dietitian, Veterans Administration Hospital, Long Beach (1973-86); and provincial councilor/dietitian for the St. Michael Province and VA Hospital, Long Beach. She currently ministers as a pastoral associate at St. Malachy Church in Brownsburg, Ind.