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Sister Ann Wightman, SNJM
(Sister Mary Mildred)
April 16, 1924 – April 25, 2023
Sister Ann Wightman, SNJM departed this life on April 25, 2023 at South Hill Village in Spokane, Washington.
Sister Ann celebrated 99 years of life and 71 years of her religious profession.
A Mass of Resurrection was held Monday, May 1, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. at Our Lady of Fatima Church in Spokane, Washington.
Burial took place at Holy Cross Cemetery, in the Sisters’ Memorial Section, Spokane, Washington.
Sister Ann Wightman, SNJM
April 16, 1924 – April 25, 2023
Sister Ann Julienne Wightman (Sister Mary Mildred), died peacefully on April 25, 2023, in her home at South Hill Village, Spokane, Washington.
Sister Ann was born on April 16, 1924, in West Point, New York, to Colonel Richard M. Wightman and Edna M. Hagman. She was the third child in their family of seven children. In a note from Sister Ann, she listed the names of the many states in which the family lived before they settled in Spokane with Colonel Wightman’s retirement from the Army. Her Baptism, First Communion, and Confirmation were each celebrated in one of these states, as were the schools she attended.
In 1945, Sister Ann graduated from a nurses’ training program in St. Louis, Missouri, and registered as a Registered Nurse in the states of Missouri, Oregon, and Washington.
In 1949, she entered the Sisters of the Holy Names Novitiate at Marylhurst, Oregon. She received the Holy Habit and her religious name, Sister Mary Mildred, on February 5, 1950, and on August 5, 1956, professed her perpetual vows. Sister Ann’s ministry vitae shows an array of assignments to Sisters of the Holy Names Care Centers in Oregon and Washington, where she provided kind and gentle nursing for her Sisters, and for which she is fondly remembered.
In 1981, Sister Ann took up the task of caring for her parents and offered Community Service wherever she lived in Spokane. Sister Ann was deeply committed to her family, her religious community, and to those she served. Her independence, her wit, her love of music and dancing (she took lessons at Arthur Murray Studio), her smile, and her no-nonsense approach to life endeared her to all who knew her.
Sister Ann’s devotion to the Blessed Sacrament, her faithfulness to recitation of the Rosary, and the prayer intentions of Pope Francis were daily practices that grounded her deep faith. A voracious reader, she would seek out stories with military events, her interest honed from having been raised with a father and brothers who all served in the United States military. Over the years, she and her sister, Elaine, enjoyed many trips and local outings with Elaine’s son, Peter.
Sister Ann was preceded in death by her parents, Richard and Edna Wightman; her brothers, William E., James R., John D., and Richard L.; and her sisters, Elaine Schoen, who died on November 19, 2022, and Clare. Sister Ann is survived by nephews and nieces, especially nephew, Peter Schoen; and niece, Barbara Vaughn; both of Spokane. In addition, Sister Ann is survived by her religious community, the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary, and Associates. She will be missed by residents and staff at South Hill Village where she has lived since 2014 when the Convent of the Holy Names (which was on Fort Wright Drive) was closed.
Funeral Mass will be held Monday, May 1, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. at Our Lady of Fatima Church, Spokane. Committal will be held at 1:30 p.m. at Holy Cross Cemetery at the Sisters’ Memorial Graveside for Sisters of the Holy Names. Memorial gifts may be made to Sisters of the Holy Names Retirement Fund, PO Box 398, Marylhurst, OR, 97036, or online at www.snjmusontario.org/donate.