Sister Mary Jane Hopkins, OSF, died at The Alverno in Clinton on June 21, 2009.
was born on Oct. 24, 1936, in Ida Grove, Iowa, the second of four children of Lazetta Konradi and James Earl Hopkins. She was baptized Mary Jane Angela on Nov. 15, 1936, at Sacred Heart Church in Ida Grove. She has two brothers and one sister. James Francis lives in Wall Lake, Iowa; Joseph (and Susan) live in Burnside, Minn.; and Margaret Teague lives in Wall Lake, Iowa. Her parents are deceased.
Mary Jane attended Blaine Twp., Ida Grove, and Cook Twp. elementary schools, and graduated from Galva Consolidated High School in Iowa. Following graduation, she worked in the dietary departments in hospitals in Carroll, Iowa, and Omaha, Neb.
She joined the congregation of the Sisters of St. Francis in Clinton at Mount St. Clare Convent, Clinton, on Sept. 8, 1961, and received the name Mary James Ann at her reception on June 13, 1962. She later resumed her baptismal name. She made her first profession on Aug. 12, 1964, and her final profession on Aug. 12, 1967.
Her novitiate classmates were Sisters Miriam Rose (Ellen Mishur), Mary Blaise (Mary Ann Adams), LaVern Olberding, Mary Carmel Jacobs, Mary Winefride (Mary Jane O’Malley), Jude Mary (Patricia Moran), Mary Vianney (Geraldine Agnew), Mary Angeline (Barbara Batista), Barbara Rosener, and Elizabeth Ann (Mary Catherine Luchtel).
Sr. Mary Jane earned an A.A. degree from Mount St. Clare College, Clinton; a B. A. degree from Marycrest College, Davenport; and an M. Ed. degree from De Paul University, Chicago. She received her C.P.E.-USCC (Clinical Pastoral Education) from St. Francis Medical Center, LaCrosse, Wis., and her C.P.E.-ACPE, Mercy Hospital Medical Center, Des Moines. She held an Iowa Permanent Professional Teaching Certificate and an Illinois Supervisor’s Certificate.
Sr. Mary Jane taught in elementary schools in Perry, Lidderdale and Denison; Chino, Calif.; andOak Lawn, Ill.; and was principal at St. Kieran School, Chicago Heights, Ill. She was in hospital ministry at Mercy Hospital, Des Moines, since the early 1980s and most recently served as lead cashier.
She moved to The Alverno in February 2009, due to ill health.
Tuesday, June 23: Rosary, 4 p.m. Scripture Service, 6:30 p.m.
Wednesday, June 24: Mass of the Resurrection, 10:30 a.m. Father John Stack, presider.
Burial, St. Irenaeus Cemetery, Clinton
