Remembering the recently deceased in the Archdiocese of Seattle

Helen A. (Church) Baer EDMONDS

Helen Baer, a member of St. Mark Parish in Shoreline, died Jan. 8. She was 86.

A lifelong Washington resident, she was born in Spokane and lived the last four years in Edmonds after moving from Shoreline.

She was a homemaker and enjoyed sewing, gardening, rooting for Gonzaga and spending time with her family.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Earl; daughter Kathy; sister, Marcellis; and brothers, Patrick and Richard.

She is survived by her sons, Daniel and Craig; daughters Molly Nelson, Mary Clarire Gegen and Joan Geppert; and six grandchildren.

A funeral Mass was celebrated Jan. 17 at St. Mark Church.

Sister Ilene Bernadette Clark, SNJM (Sister M. Ann Sarah) SPOKANE

Sister Ilene Clark, of the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary, died Jan. 12. She was 92.

Born in Seattle, she attended Holy Names Academy; she retired after 25 years as the school’s director of planned giving in May 2017.

She entered the novitiate of the Sisters of the Holy Names in July 1945 and pronounced her vows in August 1947. She celebrated 70 years as a Sister of the Holy Names on Oct. 6, 2017.

She received a Bachelor of Science in education from Marylhurst College and a Master of Art in French from Gonzaga University. Her early years were spent as an elementary classroom teacher in Oregon, Spokane and Everett. She served as principal at the parish schools of St. Aloysius in Spokane and Holy Family in Auburn.

She served as translator at the Sisters of the Holy Names’ Generalate in Quebec, Canada, from 1977 to 1980 and from 1985 to 1990. She translated the life of Blessed Marie Rose Durocher (foundress of the Sisters of the Holy Names).

She enjoyed biographies, the beach, cross-country skiing and researching her family’s genealogy. She is remembered by her community for her steadfast faith, her skill as a cook and seamstress, and her belief in the value of education.

She was preceded in death by her brother, Dr. Raymond Clark; and sister Mary Elizabeth (“Lee”) Layman.

She is survived by her sister Virginia Olson and numerous nieces, nephews, grandnieces, and grandnephews.

A funeral Mass will be celebrated at Jan. 20 at 11 a.m. at Brookdale South Regal in Spokane

A memorial Mass will be celebrated in March 9 at 4:30 p.m., at St. Joseph Church in Seattle, followed by a reception at Holy Names Academy.

Memorial gifts may be made to the Sisters of the Holy Names Retirement Fund, 2911 West Fort Wright Drive, Spokane, WA 99224, or to the Sister Ilene Clark Scholarship Fund at Holy Names Academy.

Dorothy Sinnett SEATTLE

Dorothy Sinnett, a member of Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish, died Dec. 12. She was 92.

A lifelong Seattle resident, she attended Holy Rosary Grade and High schools. She was self-employed in real estate and owned apartment houses in the Seattle area.

She enjoyed spending time with her nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death her brothers, Kenneth and Alfred; and sisters Vivian Naylor, Ellade Rice and Edwardine Robinson.

She is survived by her sister Caroline Jones Longshore.

A funeral Mass was celebrated Dec. 19 at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church.

Edward Stahl FEDERAL WAY

Edward Stahl, a member of St. Vincent de Paul Parish, died Oct. 20. He was 80.

Born in Spooner, Wisconsin, he lived the last 50 years in Western Washington, 30 of them in Federal Way. He served in the Army and worked for BNSF Railway for 44 years.

At St. Vincent’s, he was a member of the Legion of Mary and distributed Communion at St. Francis Hospital.

He was preceded in death by a brother and a daughter.

He is survived by his wife of 48 years, Marlena; son, Tom; daughters Cindy and Sherri; sister, Sharon; and five grandchildren.

A funeral Mass was celebrated Oct. 30 at St. Vincent de Paul Church. 

Sister Celine Steinberger, SNJM (M. Lorene Therese) SPOKANE

Sister Celine Therese Steinberger, of the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary, died Dec. 25.

Born in Seattle, she attended Holy Names Academy. She entered the Sisters of the Holy Names in 1960 and pronounced her vows in 1962.

She earned a B.A. and an M.A. in education from Fort Wright College of the Holy Names. She began her teaching career in the primary grades at St. Paschal in Spokane, then St. Frances Cabrini in Tacoma, Our Lady of Fatima in Seattle, and Holy Rosary in Edmonds from 1974 to 1981, serving as principal from 1976.

In 1981, became staff development director at Fort Wright College in Spokane. After the closing of the four-year college at Fort Wright, she served as co-director then director of Holy Names Center on the Fort Wright Campus until 1988. She became development director for the Washington region of the congregation, a position from which she held until her death.

She is remembered by her community for her passion for the mission of the congregation; her creativity, problem-solving and wisdom; her love of color, design and beauty; her deep faith in God and her hopeful heart; and her warm and welcoming smiles and hugs.

She is survived by her brothers, Vincent and Richard; sister, Janie Bolton; and a niece and nephew and their three children.

A funeral Mass was celebrated Jan. 6 at Our Lady of Fatima Church in Spokane.

Memorial gifts may be made to the Sisters of the Holy Names Retirement Fund, 2911 West Fort Wright Drive, Spokane, WA 99224.

Ruth Marie Zanella FEDERAL WAY

Ruth Marie Zanella, a founding member of St. Vincent de Paul Parish, died Dec. 26. She was 95.

Born in Ironwood, Michigan, she lived the last 60 years in Federal Way.

She was a homemaker and enjoyed knitting, sewing, ice skating, dancing and cooking.

She is survived by her husband of 71 years, Vincent; sister, Shirley Hanesko; brothers, William and James Lotzer; sons, Raymond, James and Lawrence; six grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

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