Sister of St. Francis Valerie Jarzembowski dies at 89

A funeral Mass for Sister of St. Francis of Assisi Valerie Jarzembowski (formerly Sister Raymond) was offered May 8 at her religious community’s motherhouse in Wisconsin. Sister Valerie died April 29. She was 89.

Born in Queens, N.Y., she professed vows as a Sister of St. Mary’s Abbey, Mill Hill Abbey, England (later the Franciscan Sisters of Baltimore) in 1957. The Franciscan Sisters of Baltimore merged with the Milwaukee-based Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi in 2001.

In Baltimore, Sister Valerie ministered at St. Elizabeth School as a special education teacher, administrator and financial assistant (1972-74, 1994-99, 2002-12) and at St. Francis School as a special education teacher and administrator (1976-89, 1992-93). She and Sister of St. Francis of Assisi Mildred Rothwell, worked with Catholic Charities of Baltimore to start Chara House, a program that cared for babies with AIDS (1989-92).

She received her bachelor’s degree in education from what is now Notre Dame of Maryland University in Baltimore and a master’s degree in education (special education) from what is now Loyola University Maryland in Baltimore. She also held a master’s degree in administration/supervision from Loyola University Maryland.

Elsewhere, Sister Valerie ministered in New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Massachusetts.

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