Sister Mary Grace Dykzeul, SNJM

(Theresa Elizabeth Dykzeul)

February 22, 1924 – April 18, 2019

Sister Mary Grace Dykzeul, SNJM departed this life on April 18, 2019 at Villas of Saratoga, Saratoga, California.

Sister Grace celebrated 95 years of life and 75 years of her religious profession.

Her Mass of Resurrection was celebrated on Thursday, May 2, 2019, at 2:30 p.m. at Holy Spirit Chapel, Campbell, California.

Burial took place at 10:15 a.m., Friday, May 3, 2019 at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, Hayward, California.

Sister Mary Grace Dykzeul, SNJM

(Theresa Elizabeth Dykzeul)

February 22, 1924 – April 18, 2019

Sister Grace, while on a “home visit” from her missionary work in Peru, said she had written a poem where she said “she would die in a foreign land”. Only there was never any land foreign to Sister Grace, for by her very presence, she made any place she was home. So it was at Villas of Saratoga on the 18th of April 2019, that Sister Grace (Theresa Elizabeth Dykzeul) was called home to the God whom she had so long ago promised her life and her love. She was 95 and celebrated 75 years of profession as a Sister of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary. She was well-named – Grace. She graced everyone who encountered her with her gentle and wise presence, with her great love for people, and especially children, and with her art and her poetry that gave expression to the beauty and goodness she saw in our world.

Sister Grace’s life and ministry was of service and presence. Before being missioned to Peru, she was an elementary school teacher at Saint Monica (San Francisco), Saint Anne (Santa Monica), Ramona (Alhambra) and Saint Andrew (Pasadena) and then as a secondary school teacher at Saint Andrew (Pasadena), St. Monica (Santa Monica) and Holy Names High School (Oakland). For 30 years she ministered in Peru in Arequipa and La Curva serving as teacher, pastoral minister, catechist and mentor in the teacher education program for the Archdiocese of Arequipa. When she returned to the United States in 1992, she did pastoral ministry and provided support services at Saint Anne (Santa Monica) and St. Polycarp Schools (Stanton).

It is with joy and deep gratitude that we remember Sister Grace’s great love for her family and Dutch heritage, her twinkling eyes, her kindness, the courage with which she faced her recuperation after being so severely burned and her deep and abiding friendships with family, sisters in community and former students. She is survived by numerous nieces and nephews and other relatives. She is remembered by her beloved Sisters and Affiliates of the Holy Names and by former students and colleagues. The Mass of Resurrection for Sister Grace will be on Thursday, May 2 at 2:30 pm at Holy Spirit Chapel, 65 W. Rincon Avenue, Campbell, CA 95008. Her burial will be at 10:15 am on Friday, May 3, 2019 at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, Hayward, California.