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Roswitha Frawley, SNJM

Mattie K. Frawley was born in Portland to Bill and Louise Frawley. A convert at age of five, she prepared for a year to be baptized with her mother and brother Pat at Ascension Parish. She then attended grade school there and met Sister Roswitha Zenner, OSF, who was a great influence in her life.

Her high school years were spent at St. Mary’s Academy, an SNJM school. After graduating, she entered the Holy Names having always hoped to be a teacher. After receiving the name Sister Roswitha and making first vows, she continued her studies at Marylhurst College and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts.

Roswitha taught middle grades at St. Frederic’s, St. Helens; Holy Redeemer, Portland; and Our Lady of the Lake, Lake Oswego. She also served as principal at Our Lady of the Lake and Holy Redeemer. She also had wonderful opportunities for graduate studies at Portland State, Marylhurst and UCLA, and completed a Master of Education at the University of Portland.

Over the years she was gifted with opportunities to speak to teachers in graduate classes in Oregon and Washington and was also invited to be a presenter in Germany to teachers taking graduate classes. With this background, she was accepted as an adjunct professor at Lewis and Clark College, Portland, where she taught “Disrupting the Disruptor” courses, focusing on classroom management and addressing disruptive behavior in educational settings.

She later started a consulting business working with faculty groups and individual teachers across the Pacific Northwest and presenting at conferences in Anaheim, Cincinnati, Seattle and Vancouver, B.C. She loved all the aspects of her teaching ministry.

After leaving education, Roswitha worked for 19 years as the Director of Mission Integration at Mary’s Woods, a continuing care retirement community in Lake Oswego, Oregon, and served on the senior management team. During that time a second phase of Mary’s Woods expansion was completed adding hundreds of residents and services. When she retired, a scholarship fund in her name was set up for employees and their families to further their educational goals. She is thrilled to see the progress of these amazing people.

In addition, Roswitha served on the Board of Trustees of Marylhurst University. She was also a member of school committees for Holy Redeemer Grade School and remains a board member of their foundation.

She retired from full time ministry at 75 and now enjoys, through continuing work on SNJM committees, supporting those involved in charism and mission work.

Roswitha, who lives in Portland, Oregon, is filled with gratitude for her loving family, dear friends, incredible students who taught her so much and fabulous ministry partners. She is profoundly blessed by the Holy Names Sisters and mission partners who have prayed, mentored, and encouraged her and rejoices in the wonderful opportunities to be of service. Her mom used to say that getting old wasn’t for sissies and daily she finds that to be so true!