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Sister Lorene Schuster, SNJM
(Sister M. Michael Lawrence)
September 11, 1935 – August 1, 2023
Sister Lorene Schuster, SNJM departed this life on August 1, 2023 at Mary’s Woods at Marylhurst in Lake Oswego, Ontario.
Sister Lorene celebrated 87 years of life and 67 years of her religious profession.
A Mass of Resurrection was held on September 7, 2023.
Sister Lorene Schuster, SNJM
September 11, 1936 – August 1, 2023
Sister of the Holy Names Lorene Adele Schuster (Sister M. Michael Lawrence) died on August 1, 2023, in her home at Mary’s Woods at Marylhurst in Lake Oswego, Oregon.
Sister Lorene was born September 11, 1936, in Spokane, Washington, to Loren K. Schuster and Margaret Hirsch Schuster. Sister Lorene and her brother K. Don Schuster grew up in Spokane’s Sacred Heart Parish where Sister Lorene attended elementary school before enrolling at Holy Names Academy.
Sister Lorene entered the novitiate of the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary on July 25, 1953, in Marylhurst, Oregon, taking as her religious name Sister M. Michael Lawrence on February 5, 1954, and pronouncing perpetual vows on August 5, 1960. Sister received her Bachelor of Science in Education at Marylhurst University.
Sister Lorene’s years of ministry included classroom teaching, parish ministry, and assistance in health care settings. Her early years were in parish elementary schools staffed by the Sisters of the Holy Names in Oregon and Washington. In 1978, she ministered in the infirmary at the Convent of the Holy Names in Spokane, and from this experience began an extended time of ministry in both parish and health care settings. One highlight was her time at the Tutwiler Community Clinic working with Doctor Ann Brooks, SNJM, and other Sisters of the Holy Names in Tutwiler, Mississippi.
An opportunity to attend St. Mary of the Lake in Mundelein, Illinois, prepared her for an extended period of ministry serving as a Pastoral Assistant in several parishes in Michigan. In 2003, Sister Lorene transitioned into full-time in-home health care while living in Tucson, Arizona. Sister Lorene moved to Mary’s Woods at Marylhurst in 2021.
Sister Lorene is preceded in death by her parents Loren and Margaret Schuster and her brother Deacon K. Don Schuster. She is survived by her sister-in-law Marlene Schuster, her nephew Paul Schuster, nieces Donna Prather (Eddie) and Helen Tugan (Adam), and their families. Sister Lorene is survived by her religious community the Sisters and Associates of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary.
Sister Lorene is fondly remembered by friends and colleagues as a woman with ideas for improving any situation and openly expressing her care and affection. In her last days, she was visited by family from Spokane, friends from Tucson, and SNJM residents and staff at Mary’s Woods.
Mass of Resurrection will be held Friday, August 25, 2023, at Immaculate Heart Retreat Center, 6910 S. Ben Burr Rd., Spokane, at 11:00 a.m. with a luncheon reception following. Inurnment will be at Holy Cross Cemetery, 7200 N Wall St, Spokane, at 2:00 p.m. at the Sisters’ Memorial.