Sister Cecilia Alice Kovach, 89, who had been a professed member of the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia for 68 years, including service in Baker City, died Jan. 6, 2007, at St. Ann Convent in Tacoma, Wash.
Sister Cecilia Alice (Dora Cecilia Kovach) was born at Tacoma where she was a member of Sacred Heart Parish. She graduated from St. Leo High School at Tacoma.
Prior to her entrance into the congregation in 1936, she worked as a seamstress at St. Ann Orphanage in Tacoma. She earned a bachelor’s degree in education from Holy Names College at Spokane, Wash.
Although Sister Cecilia Alice began her years of ministry in health care, she served primarily in elementary education, both as a teacher and a librarian. At one point she was awarded a plaque for 46 years of service in education. She enjoyed reading, gardening, and keeping in contact with the elderly.
Sister Cecilia Alice ministered for 51 years in the Archdiocese of Seattle. Thirty-one of those years were spent at St. Charles Borromeo School where she first taught from 1963 to 1966. She returned there from 1973 to 2001, first as teacher and then as librarian.
She taught at St. Leo School from 1947 to 1956, 1967 to 1968, and from 1969 to 1973. In 2001, Sister Cecilia Alice moved to St. Ann Convent where she served until her death, first as a volunteer and then in prayer ministry.
Sister Cecilia Alice ministered for 11 years in the Diocese of Baker. She worked in the Admissions Office at both St. Elizabeth Hospital from (1938 to 1940) and St. Anthony Hospital, Pendleton (1940 to 1941).
She taught at Sacred Heart Academy, Klamath Falls (1956 to 1961 and 1968 to 1969). She also taught at St. Francis Academy, Baker, (1961 to 1963).
Sister Cecilia Alice’s six years of ministry in the Diocese of Spokane included teaching at St. Joseph Academy in Tekoa (1941-1942) and caring for children at St. Joseph Children’s Home in Spokane (1942-1947). She also taught at St. John Fisher School (1966-1967) in the Archdiocese of Portland.
Sister Cecilia Alice is survived by two brothers, Florian Kovach of La Grande, and Arnold Kovach of Tacoma, Wash.; many nieces, nephews, grandnieces, and grandnephews; and by her Franciscan family.
Memorial contributions may be made to Franciscan Ministries Foundation, 609 S. Convent Road, Aston, PA 19014.
Used with permission from: Baker City Herald, Baker City, Oregon, January 10, 2007
Transcribed by: Belva Ticknor