Sister Mary Stephen Eswine, PBVM

Sister Mary Stephen Eswine, PBVM, 87, died on Thursday, October 10, 2019, at Mount Loretto Motherhouse, 2360 Carter Road, Dubuque IA.

Funeral Services will be Monday, October 14, 2019, at 10:00 a.m. at Sacred Heart Chapel, Sisters of the Presentation, with burial in Mount Olivet Cemetery, Key West. Friends may call from 3:30-5:00 p.m. on Sunday, October 13, 2019, at Sacred Heart Chapel, where there will be a vigil service at 4:00 p.m.

Sister Mary Stephen, daughter of William and Frances (Zachman) Eswine, was born Helen Hope Eswine on February 16, 1932 in Humboldt IA. She entered the Sisters of the Presentation from Humboldt IA on June 5, 1950 and professed her perpetual vows on June 8, 1956.

She attended classes at Loras and Clarke Colleges, Dubuque IA and Briar Cliff University, Sioux City IA. Her ministries took her to Charles City, Elkader, Ryan, Waukon, St. Columbkille (1965-1968), all in Iowa, Timberlake SD, and St. Dorothy, Chicago IL, where she taught primary grades.

Sister Stephen retired to Mount Loretto in 1987 and celebrated her 60th Jubilee in 2010. She loved caring for the plants and flowers on the grounds of Mt. Loretto, making and repairing rosaries, prayer and community service. “Gardening is a great means of learning to live in the presence of God, for I know that when I am alone gardening, I am never really alone. It is God who creates and who gives the growth. I am only the assistant and any talent I have is God’s gift to me, but not just for me.”

Surviving is her brother, Robert, nieces, nephews, and the Sisters of the Presentation with whom she shared her life for 69 years.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her sisters Bernadine Schwenck and Joan Eswine and her brother Charles.

The Leonard Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Memorials may be made to the Sisters of the Presentation, 2360 Carter Road, Dubuque, IA 52001 or online at: www.dubuquepresentations.org.

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