†Sister Rena Ruddy, OP

“Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them;
for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.” – Luke 18: 16

On October 28, 1931, Rena Ruddy was born in Mt. Morris, Michigan, the second of twelve children of Francis and Julia Marie (Rousseau) Ruddy. Reflecting on her large and close-knit family, she once said, “God, love, and hard work were the mainstay of our family.” Prayers, especially the Rosary, was central to their daily life. Strong believers in Catholic education, her parents sent the children five miles to St. Mary’s School, where they were taught by the Immaculate Heart of Mary Sisters.

After graduating from high school in 1949, Rena worked for two years at St. Francis Home for Boys in Detroit. She later held positions at the Federal Reserve Bank and the Detroit City Ice and Fuel Company. During these years she occasionally considered religious life, though not immediately. She also enjoyed traveling, visiting Montreal, Canada, and thirteen states in the northeastern United States.

Over time, Rena experienced a persistent call to religious life. She had visited several congregations earlier. Through the influence of her cousin, Fr. Paul Ruddy, OSFS, she met the Dominican Sisters of Grand Rapids. Welcomed warmly by Mother Victor, she felt at home and entered the congregation in January 1955.

In 1958 Sister Rena began her teaching ministry, working with children in grades two through four in several Michigan parish schools, including Blessed Sacrament in Grand Rapids; Holy Family in Saginaw; St. Michael’s in Maple Grove; and Our Lady of Grace in Dearborn Heights. She later taught at St. Alfred’s in Taylor and St. Anne’s in Warren. She especially appreciated the introduction of class size limits of 40 students—an improvement from earlier years when classes often exceeded 50. During the 1980s, she embraced the challenge of helping develop school-wide programs that fostered understanding and acceptance of diverse peoples and cultures.

One of Sister Rena’s greatest joys was preparing children for First Communion and Reconciliation. She had a special concern for students who struggled academically, generously giving extra time and attention to help them succeed.

After many years in education, Sister Rena took a sabbatical before returning to the Sterling Heights area to serve as Christian Service Director at St. Matthias Parish. In this role, she ministered to those in need and, in later years, volunteered her time through arts and crafts. She especially enjoyed floral arranging and painting, with a particular love for depicting birds. When she retired, she returned to Marywood, where she continued to serve through prayer and ministry, creating beautiful floral arrangements that brought a splash of color to every nook and cranny of the building.

Her academic preparation included a Bachelor of Science in Education from Aquinas College and a Master’s degree in Religious Education from the Aquinas Institute of Religious Education. She also participated in numerous workshops and earned a certificate in Professional Education Seminars at Notre Dame in Manchester, New Hampshire.

As a teacher, Sister Rena was energetic and creative. She enjoyed teaching CCD classes and directing youth choirs for Christmas and Easter programs. In one memorable all-parish production featuring songs from the musical Sister Act, she was cast fittingly as the role made famous by Whoopi Goldberg. The performance delighted everyone, especially Sister Rena herself.

Music was a source of peace and relaxation for her, particularly Irish music, which connected her to her heritage. She attended concerts whenever possible and loved to sing at every opportunity.

Sister Rena also had a deep love for travel. In addition to her early trips, she visited many states across the country and traveled abroad to the Holy Land and Germany.

Sister Rena once reflected: “A friend is one who knows you as you are, understands where you’ve been, accepts who you’ve become and still invites you to grow.” As we bid farewell to this dear friend in this life, we give thanks for all that she was and generously shared. May she be welcomed into Paradise with harp, song and perhaps an Irish whistle to accompany her steps in her new life with her beloved God.

Sr. Rena is survived by, her sisters Mary Ellen Santocke, and Faith Abbott (Dave), Sisters-in-Law: Margaret Ruddy, Loraine Ruddy, and Sue Ruddy, other family, friends, and members of her Dominican Community.