A funeral Mass for Sister Mary Carine Dirkers was celebrated Nov. 26 at the School Sisters of Notre Dame motherhouse chapel. Sister Carine, 94, died Nov. 19.
Born in St. Louis and baptized Rose Marie Dorothea, she attended St. Francis de Sales School and Notre Dame High School. Already in the third grade, she desired to become a sister and would often ask the principal if she was big enough to become a candidate.
She entered the candidature at Sancta Maria in Ripa in Lemay in 1943 and was received into the novitiate in 1945 and given the name Sister Mary Carine. She pronounced first vows in 1946 and final vows in 1952.
Sister Carine spent 53 years in Catholic education. She taught elementary children at St. Andrew School in Lemay and Our Lady of Sorrows School in St. Louis. She served as principal at St. William in Woodson Terrace, St. Francis Borgia School in Washington and St. Gabriel School in St. Louis. Her last 14 years in the classroom were at Notre Dame High School in Lemay.
She also taught in Louisiana, Illinois, Texas and Jefferson City, Missouri. She was a principal in Illinois.
From 1968-71, Sister Carine was assistant directress of junior sisters. She was a staff member in the finance office at the St. Louis motherhouse for six years and did community service for 11 years prior to her transfer to Veronica House at the Sarah Community in Bridgeton in 2011. She moved to Anna House in August 2018.
Her colleagues said Sister Carine was dedicated to her students and encouraged them to succeed. She was a light-hearted person with a keen sense of humor and a strong love for those she was sent to serve. She loved children, especially those who were struggling, and encouraged and supported them in many ways.
