Sister Sharon Beckmann, formerly known as Sister Therese Michelle, died on Tuesday, March 16, 2021, at the ProMedica Toledo Hospital in Toledo, Ohio. She was 80 years of age and in the 62nd year of her religious profession in the Adrian Dominican Congregation.
Sister Sharon was born in St. Joseph, to Joseph and Marie (Schramm) Beckmann. She graduated from St. Joseph Catholic High School and received a bachelor's degree in English from Siena Heights College (University) in Adrian; a master's degree in religious education from the University of St. Thomas in Houston; and a master's degree in school administration from University of San Francisco.
Sister Sharon ministered in elementary education for 26 years in Loves Park, Chicago, Elmwood Park, Maywood, and River Grove, Ill.; and Haywood, Piedmont, Oakland, and Fremont, Calif. She also ministered for eight years in religious education and pastoral work in Danville, Mission San Jose, Pinole and Fremont, Calif.
After her retirement in 2004, Sister Sharon volunteered her services for five years as a teacher at Literacy Plus Center in Hayward, Calif., and later for several years as a tutor at the Adrian Rea Literacy Center in Adrian.
Sister Sharon became a resident of Weber Center on the Adrian Dominican Sisters' campus in 2009.
She was preceded in death by her parents; and two brothers: Mickey and Jim.
She is survived by three sisters: Kathryn Martin of Coloma, Terri Graham (Michael) of Three Rivers, and Marcia Anstiss of Eau Claire; a brother, Joseph Beckmann Jr., of St. Joseph; many loving nieces, and nephews; several close friends in California; and her Adrian Dominican Sisters.
The Prayer Vigil and Mass of Christian Burial have already taken place at St. Catherine Chapel in Adrian.
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"God brings you back whether you're ready to go back or not, and really it was a gift to me."
These words from Sister Sharon Beckmann in her April 2017 "A Sister's Story" video referred to her decision in 1977 to re-enter the Congregation after seven years away, a decision which came after human, as well as divine, intervention.
Sharon Mae Beckmann was born on March 25, 1940, in St. Joseph, Michigan, to Joseph and Marie (Schramm) Beckmann. She was the Beckmanns' second child, after Jim, and the rest of the siblings followed considerably later: Marcia was born when Sharon was nine, Joe two years later, Therese three years after that, Michael when Sharon was eighteen, and finally Kathy, when Sharon was twenty-one and had already been in the Congregation for several years.
Therese (called Terri) told this story in a remembrance sent in for Sister Sharon's wake service:
I remember our mom telling us that Sharon, and our brother Jim, were both born at home, and the doctor took down the information for the birth record at that time. It was many years later, when our mom worked for the county clerk and had requested copies of all of our birth certificates [that] Mom was quite surprised to find that Sharon's birth certificate listed her name as "Cherry Mae" instead of Sharon Mae. Perhaps the doctor just heard the name wrong, and that's how the error was made. Well, Sharon didn't think it was funny at all, but I thought that it was hilarious! And over the years, I reminded Sharon from time to time, and shared the story with others, about her original birth name, Cherry Mae! I can just imagine Sharon shaking her head and rolling her eyes now, as we're sharing this story again, today. Love you, sister Cherry – er, Sharon!
Sister Sharon was born in St. Joseph, to Joseph and Marie (Schramm) Beckmann. She graduated from St. Joseph Catholic High School and received a bachelor's degree in English from Siena Heights College (University) in Adrian; a master's degree in religious education from the University of St. Thomas in Houston; and a master's degree in school administration from University of San Francisco.
Sister Sharon ministered in elementary education for 26 years in Loves Park, Chicago, Elmwood Park, Maywood, and River Grove, Ill.; and Haywood, Piedmont, Oakland, and Fremont, Calif. She also ministered for eight years in religious education and pastoral work in Danville, Mission San Jose, Pinole and Fremont, Calif.
After her retirement in 2004, Sister Sharon volunteered her services for five years as a teacher at Literacy Plus Center in Hayward, Calif., and later for several years as a tutor at the Adrian Rea Literacy Center in Adrian.
Sister Sharon became a resident of Weber Center on the Adrian Dominican Sisters' campus in 2009.
She was preceded in death by her parents; and two brothers: Mickey and Jim.
She is survived by three sisters: Kathryn Martin of Coloma, Terri Graham (Michael) of Three Rivers, and Marcia Anstiss of Eau Claire; a brother, Joseph Beckmann Jr., of St. Joseph; many loving nieces, and nephews; several close friends in California; and her Adrian Dominican Sisters.
The Prayer Vigil and Mass of Christian Burial have already taken place at St. Catherine Chapel in Adrian.
==========================================================
"God brings you back whether you're ready to go back or not, and really it was a gift to me."
These words from Sister Sharon Beckmann in her April 2017 "A Sister's Story" video referred to her decision in 1977 to re-enter the Congregation after seven years away, a decision which came after human, as well as divine, intervention.
Sharon Mae Beckmann was born on March 25, 1940, in St. Joseph, Michigan, to Joseph and Marie (Schramm) Beckmann. She was the Beckmanns' second child, after Jim, and the rest of the siblings followed considerably later: Marcia was born when Sharon was nine, Joe two years later, Therese three years after that, Michael when Sharon was eighteen, and finally Kathy, when Sharon was twenty-one and had already been in the Congregation for several years.
Therese (called Terri) told this story in a remembrance sent in for Sister Sharon's wake service:
I remember our mom telling us that Sharon, and our brother Jim, were both born at home, and the doctor took down the information for the birth record at that time. It was many years later, when our mom worked for the county clerk and had requested copies of all of our birth certificates [that] Mom was quite surprised to find that Sharon's birth certificate listed her name as "Cherry Mae" instead of Sharon Mae. Perhaps the doctor just heard the name wrong, and that's how the error was made. Well, Sharon didn't think it was funny at all, but I thought that it was hilarious! And over the years, I reminded Sharon from time to time, and shared the story with others, about her original birth name, Cherry Mae! I can just imagine Sharon shaking her head and rolling her eyes now, as we're sharing this story again, today. Love you, sister Cherry – er, Sharon!
Sister Sharon Beckmann, formerly known as Sister Therese Michelle, died on Tuesday, March 16, 2021, at the ProMedica Toledo Hospital in Toledo, Ohio. She was 80 years of age and in the 62nd year of her religious profession in the Adrian Dominican Congregation.
Sister Sharon was born in St. Joseph, to Joseph and Marie (Schramm) Beckmann. She graduated from St. Joseph Catholic High School and received a bachelor's degree in English from Siena Heights College (University) in Adrian; a master's degree in religious education from the University of St. Thomas in Houston; and a master's degree in school administration from University of San Francisco.
Sister Sharon ministered in elementary education for 26 years in Loves Park, Chicago, Elmwood Park, Maywood, and River Grove, Ill.; and Haywood, Piedmont, Oakland, and Fremont, Calif. She also ministered for eight years in religious education and pastoral work in Danville, Mission San Jose, Pinole and Fremont, Calif.
After her retirement in 2004, Sister Sharon volunteered her services for five years as a teacher at Literacy Plus Center in Hayward, Calif., and later for several years as a tutor at the Adrian Rea Literacy Center in Adrian.
Sister Sharon became a resident of Weber Center on the Adrian Dominican Sisters' campus in 2009.
She was preceded in death by her parents; and two brothers: Mickey and Jim.
She is survived by three sisters: Kathryn Martin of Coloma, Terri Graham (Michael) of Three Rivers, and Marcia Anstiss of Eau Claire; a brother, Joseph Beckmann Jr., of St. Joseph; many loving nieces, and nephews; several close friends in California; and her Adrian Dominican Sisters.
The Prayer Vigil and Mass of Christian Burial have already taken place at St. Catherine Chapel in Adrian.
==========================================================
"God brings you back whether you're ready to go back or not, and really it was a gift to me."
These words from Sister Sharon Beckmann in her April 2017 "A Sister's Story" video referred to her decision in 1977 to re-enter the Congregation after seven years away, a decision which came after human, as well as divine, intervention.
Sharon Mae Beckmann was born on March 25, 1940, in St. Joseph, Michigan, to Joseph and Marie (Schramm) Beckmann. She was the Beckmanns' second child, after Jim, and the rest of the siblings followed considerably later: Marcia was born when Sharon was nine, Joe two years later, Therese three years after that, Michael when Sharon was eighteen, and finally Kathy, when Sharon was twenty-one and had already been in the Congregation for several years.
Therese (called Terri) told this story in a remembrance sent in for Sister Sharon's wake service:
I remember our mom telling us that Sharon, and our brother Jim, were both born at home, and the doctor took down the information for the birth record at that time. It was many years later, when our mom worked for the county clerk and had requested copies of all of our birth certificates [that] Mom was quite surprised to find that Sharon's birth certificate listed her name as "Cherry Mae" instead of Sharon Mae. Perhaps the doctor just heard the name wrong, and that's how the error was made. Well, Sharon didn't think it was funny at all, but I thought that it was hilarious! And over the years, I reminded Sharon from time to time, and shared the story with others, about her original birth name, Cherry Mae! I can just imagine Sharon shaking her head and rolling her eyes now, as we're sharing this story again, today. Love you, sister Cherry – er, Sharon!
Sister Sharon was born in St. Joseph, to Joseph and Marie (Schramm) Beckmann. She graduated from St. Joseph Catholic High School and received a bachelor's degree in English from Siena Heights College (University) in Adrian; a master's degree in religious education from the University of St. Thomas in Houston; and a master's degree in school administration from University of San Francisco.
Sister Sharon ministered in elementary education for 26 years in Loves Park, Chicago, Elmwood Park, Maywood, and River Grove, Ill.; and Haywood, Piedmont, Oakland, and Fremont, Calif. She also ministered for eight years in religious education and pastoral work in Danville, Mission San Jose, Pinole and Fremont, Calif.
After her retirement in 2004, Sister Sharon volunteered her services for five years as a teacher at Literacy Plus Center in Hayward, Calif., and later for several years as a tutor at the Adrian Rea Literacy Center in Adrian.
Sister Sharon became a resident of Weber Center on the Adrian Dominican Sisters' campus in 2009.
She was preceded in death by her parents; and two brothers: Mickey and Jim.
She is survived by three sisters: Kathryn Martin of Coloma, Terri Graham (Michael) of Three Rivers, and Marcia Anstiss of Eau Claire; a brother, Joseph Beckmann Jr., of St. Joseph; many loving nieces, and nephews; several close friends in California; and her Adrian Dominican Sisters.
The Prayer Vigil and Mass of Christian Burial have already taken place at St. Catherine Chapel in Adrian.
==========================================================
"God brings you back whether you're ready to go back or not, and really it was a gift to me."
These words from Sister Sharon Beckmann in her April 2017 "A Sister's Story" video referred to her decision in 1977 to re-enter the Congregation after seven years away, a decision which came after human, as well as divine, intervention.
Sharon Mae Beckmann was born on March 25, 1940, in St. Joseph, Michigan, to Joseph and Marie (Schramm) Beckmann. She was the Beckmanns' second child, after Jim, and the rest of the siblings followed considerably later: Marcia was born when Sharon was nine, Joe two years later, Therese three years after that, Michael when Sharon was eighteen, and finally Kathy, when Sharon was twenty-one and had already been in the Congregation for several years.
Therese (called Terri) told this story in a remembrance sent in for Sister Sharon's wake service:
I remember our mom telling us that Sharon, and our brother Jim, were both born at home, and the doctor took down the information for the birth record at that time. It was many years later, when our mom worked for the county clerk and had requested copies of all of our birth certificates [that] Mom was quite surprised to find that Sharon's birth certificate listed her name as "Cherry Mae" instead of Sharon Mae. Perhaps the doctor just heard the name wrong, and that's how the error was made. Well, Sharon didn't think it was funny at all, but I thought that it was hilarious! And over the years, I reminded Sharon from time to time, and shared the story with others, about her original birth name, Cherry Mae! I can just imagine Sharon shaking her head and rolling her eyes now, as we're sharing this story again, today. Love you, sister Cherry – er, Sharon!
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