Sister Marie Gabriel Courter
1912-2011
Sister Marie Gabriel ended her autobiography by writing, “I would like to thank the people here at Maria for the wonderful care I am receiving, especially the nurses, nurses’ aides, and all who care for my needs and welfare. Her friends remembered her as a happy person, “a joy to be around,” always with a smile.
Elizabeth Julia Courter, the future Sister Marie Gabriel, was born on October 22, 1912, to James and Julia (Swift) Courter. She was the seventh of eight children, five boys and three girls. At the time of her birth, the Courters were living on a small farm near Mount Pleasant, Michigan.
Both parents were originally from Ohio—James Courter from Wyoming, Ohio, and Julia Swift from Cincinnati. Both the Courter and Swift families moved to Michigan and settled near Mount Pleasant. In 1900 James and Julia married, the first couple to be married in the new Sacred Heart Church in Mount Pleasant. They settled on a small farm near Mount Pleasant, where their children were born. When Elizabeth was about two years old, they moved to a large farm near Crawford, and attended St. Peter and Paul Church in Shepherd, where Elizabeth was baptized. In her autobiography Sister Marie Gabriel wrote, “Sometimes in the winter, we went to church in a sleigh, especially at Christmas time.” About her childhood she wrote:
I can remember the good times picking the wild flowers and berries in the spring and summer months. At other times we’d weed the sugar beets, plant potatoes and other crops. Dad and my brothers would tap the maple trees and gather the sap. We enjoyed eating maple syrup, especially when we gathered with neighbors and had hot biscuits and maple syrup. In the winter, we would slide down the hills on our sleds and go skating.
Elizabeth started school at Lincoln Center in Shepherd, and continued in a public school when the Courters moved to Lansing. She spent her junior high and high school years at Resurrection in Lansing, where she admired her Adrian Dominican teachers and conceived the desire to become one of them.
On August 4, 1930, the summer following her junior year, she became a postulant in Adrian. As Sister Jo Gaugier reminded the assembly at the wake, she was the first young woman to enter the Congregation from Resurrection Parish in Lansing.
Because of a need for teachers, Elizabeth was sent almost immediately to St. Patrick School in St. Charles, Illinois, where she taught second grade. She returned to Adrian for the summer, and on August 7, 1931, with her group she received the habit and her religious name. She was given the name “Sister Marie Gabriel” in honor of the first pastor at Resurrection Parish. She professed her first vows on August 2, 1932.
In a very short time, she was on her way to Chicago, where she taught second and fourth grades at St. Clare of Montefalco School for one year. Returning to Michigan, she spent eight years with second and fourth graders at St. Edward School in Detroit, two years with third graders at Sacred Heart in Munising, and three years at Precious Blood in Detroit, again in third grade. In 1946 she began eight years of teaching third grade at Our Lady of Good Counsel in Chicago. When she left that school in 1954, the rest of her ministry was in Michigan.
She spent six years with second and third graders at St. Patrick School in Brighton, two years with third graders at St. Thomas Aquinas in East Lansing, and six years with third and fourth graders at St. Brigid in Detroit. She wrote: “Some of the joys I had during my years of teaching were preparing the little ones for their First Holy Communion, teaching cursive writing and how to use a dictionary.”
Beginning with 1968, she began her ministry of thirty-five years at St. Alphonsus in Dearborn. She wrote that in 1968 there were twenty-five sisters teaching in elementary or high school, and that there were three of all grades. Kindergarten was added a bit later. She taught fourth grade for two years, then began helping in the school library, taking playground duty at times. There was a lay librarian, and a layperson in charge of organizing the playground duty. Sister wrote, “We had good times, for at various times we went out to lunch together at different restaurants, especially at Christmas time and the end of the year.” When the librarian left, she was in charge, “with many women to help me.”
She wrote of the diminishing number of sisters and priests serving the parish as the years passed, and of nineteen sisters who celebrated Jubilees there. Sister Marie Gabriel celebrated her Golden Jubilee in 1980. She wrote:
I celebrated with the teachers, who took me to the Ram’s Horn Restaurant for a real nice dinner and they gave me a beautiful set of sleepwear and robe. That year I also had my family for a nice celebration. We took lots of pictures and I have lots of fine memories.
In 1983 she was featured in the May 21 Resurrection, Lansing, Parish Bulletin as the “Vocation of the Month,” part of a series telling the stories of those from Resurrection who chose to enter religious life.
She celebrated her Diamond Jubilee at St. Alphonsus in 1990. She wrote that the teachers took her out again, and that her family was there. Also, her picture appeared, together with words of appreciation, in the Parish Bulletin of June 17.
Her Double Diamond Jubilee was celebrated in 2000, and she wrote of her gratitude to her family and friends, those at St. Alphonsus and others, who had helped her in so many ways. “The Beata Mission Group has been a great support to me. . . . We have been together for many years.” In addition, she was pictured in the June 2, 2000, issue of the Michigan Catholic, and the July 22, 2000, issue of The Catholic Times contained an article about her.
Although she lived through many trials, she wrote that she treasured pleasant memories from all the places where she served. She also remembered attending Congregation get-togethers: Re-membering in 1977, the Centenary Celebration in 1984, Transformations in 1989, and the Circles in 1991. “I felt the power of our women in so many ways,” she wrote.
Sister Marie Gabriel retired in 1996, but continued to help out wherever she could. In 1998 Sister Carole Hane, who was the grade school principal, asked her to help in the grade school library. So every day she went to the library, mended and shelved books, and worked with the card catalogue. She wrote, “Now that I am retired I have more time to ponder and think about the hereafter and hope to be ready when God calls me home.” She mentioned her gratitude to the many sisters who had given her encouragement along the way.
As I have matured, these are some of my thoughts: our Dominican charism and dynamism have made me more aware of what being an Adrian Dominican is all about as I try to be aware of so many who are poor and oppressed and that we need to reach out to them. Many of our sisters do, in their ministries. I pray daily that God will strengthen us all, and that I will persevere and be responsive to my religious calling.
She also mentioned taking short trips occasionally.
I feel that it is good to get away at times. In the summer I have made retreats at various places. While my brothers were living, I visited Tucson a few times, also Lake Worth and West Palm Beach. I was also able to visit the Shrines of Our Blessed Mother, and that was a great experience.
She was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in December 2002, found it difficult to use a walker, and decided that it was time to return to Adrian. She arrived at the Dominican Life Center/Maria in June 2003. In 2007 she returned to Resurrection Parish in Lansing for the celebration of the school’s 80th anniversary. Her picture, with two priests, appeared in the January 24, 2007, issue of The Catholic Times.
At the age of ninety-eight years and five months, God took her to eternity on February 26, 2011.
A wake-remembrance service was held for Sister Marie Gabriel on March 1 in St. Catherine Chapel. Sister Jo Gaugier extended sympathy, and welcomed the members of Sister’s family who had come to bid her farewell, and to the many friends present, including her Adrian Dominican friends. Among Sister Jo’s remarks were:
Before I ever met Sister Marie Gabriel, I knew of her as the first student to become an Adrian Dominican from our shared home parish, Resurrection in Lansing, and because she received the name “Gabriel” in honor of our founding pastor, Monsignor John Gabriel.
Sister Margaret Reardon spoke words of praise.
Sister Marie Gabriel was a beautiful person, and a joy to be around. She loved her family. Every time there was a family celebration, she shared with us all that happened, including lovely pictures. She loved her family and her Dominican family. These were the two groups that meant a lot to her.
Here at Maria she planned little get-togethers in our kitchenette on fourth floor for small groups. . . . She got decorations, set up the table, ordered the food, and everyone had a good time. She was more excited than those who came. She played cards with a group once or twice a week. . . . . “Gabe,” as we called her, attended all our Sunday night movies (when she was able), and was a participant in our scripture classes. She loved being with the sisters, and was always involved.
She was a very determined woman about the right things. She was soft spoken, but never gave up! She loved the Lord tenderly.
Sister Mary Louise Gass was also a friend.
I was at St. Alphonsus and celebrated my 25th Jubilee there. Here, I played cards with her, and she had my birthday party up on fourth floor.
She loved to travel, and I was a companion on some of her travels. . . . Once we went on a trip to the Upper Peninsula and Wisconsin. I drove and she and Sister Daniel Marie Mullane sat in the back seat. We would plan what we wanted to see and then take it a day at a time. We didn’t make any reservations. I would say, “Is it time to eat?” They would say, “Yes,” and we would find a place to eat. I would say, “Is it time to get to our hotel?” Again, they would say, “Yes,” and we would find one.
She had all the pictures taken on the trips, from the first to the last. . . . She was a wonderful person. She always had a smile. We’ll miss her.
John Gordon, husband of Sister’s niece, read some memories from Sister’s brother, Frank. He wrote a short synopsis of the schools she attended, her entrance, and her home visits.
Sister was faithful about writing and keeping in touch by phone. She was still part of the family and always sent cards and letters. Quite often she was able to spend some time with us during the Christmas holidays. She especially liked to see the young tots open their presents and see the expressions on their faces. This was quite a change of pace for her.
She was reluctant to move to Adrian but once she was settled in her room she liked the place and wondered why she hadn’t done it sooner. She had many friends in her new home and was friendly with everyone. It was convenient to the chapel, and she could attend Mass often.
John also shared some of his memories.
I met Sister for the first time when I was seventeen and dating her niece. I saw immediately that this was a person that the whole family respected and loved. She would always have something to talk about and could really play cards.
One memory I have of Sister is a time when three or four of the guys got together at a family get-together to play nickel and dime poker. Sister and Sister Daniel Marie asked to join in the game. We played for about two hours, and Sister and Sister Daniel Marie were the only ones who had any money left. I lost for one main reason. In my mind, I couldn’t picture a nun bluffing, so I kept folding.
Another thing I noticed: even when Sister was well into her nineties, the young kids in the family would sit down with her and talk. They sought her out and were happy to be with her. Even though we saw her only a few times a year, she was a main part of the family and we will really miss her.
Sister Marie Gabriel’s funeral took place on March 2. Father Robert Kelly, OP, Motherhouse Chaplain, was the presider and homilist. She was then laid to rest in the Congregational cemetery. May the God Who called her, and to Whom she responded willingly and fully, bless her life in eternity.