Sister Mary Michel

Sister Mary Michel                ND 4086                PDF Download

Rita Jean SCHMITT

Mary Immaculate Province, Toledo, Ohio, USA

Date and Place of Birth:              February 3, 1925     Sandusky, Ohio
Date and Place of Profession:   August 13, 1945      Toledo, Ohio
Date and Place of Death:            April 12, 2018           Toledo, Ohio
Date and Place of Funeral:         April 16, 2018           Whitehouse, Ohio
Date and Place of Burial:            April 17, 2018           Resurrection Cemetery, Toledo, Ohio

“Let the little children come to me.
Never hinder them, for the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like children.”
(Luke 16:19)

Rita Jean was the youngest of eleven children born to Joseph and Beatrice (Schoen) Schmitt in Sandusky, Ohio. In her young years, the family moved to Toledo where Rita attended Blessed Sacrament School and Notre Dame Academy. Rita began her formal training as a Sister of Notre Dame in January 1943. Later that year she was invested in the habit of the Sisters of Notre Dame and received the name Sister Mary Michel.

With degrees in Education and Special Education from Mary Manse College and St. Louis University, Sister was a highly effective educator for 62 years as principal, teacher, and tutor of several schools in the Toledo Diocese. In 1960, with Sister Mary Cyrilla, Sister Mary Michel began offering religious education classes to children with special needs. This led to the founding of Mary Immaculate School for Exceptional Children by the Sisters of Notre Dame of the Toledo Province. Sister Mary Michel organized the school and set up the curriculum for the first 15 students ages 6 to 16. Sister served as principal for 11 years and returned again as a primary and intermediate teacher. Sister encouraged many students to feel comfortable and positive about their abilities and to do their personal best.

Sister’s latest teaching assignment was at St. John School, Delphos from 1984-2007 where she mainly taught second grade and tutored several children the last two years. During her many years as second grade teacher, Sister Mary Michel especially enjoyed preparing children for their First Holy Communion.

As a vivid community member Sister Mary Michel contributed her musical talent as well as her sense of humor and adventure to community events. Sporting events, parties, and evening card games gave her a platform to manifest her playfulness and witty personality. Sister’s family was very dear to her heart. She cherished all her encounters with them.

On April 12, Sister Mary Michel, in her 73^rd year of profession and as a resident at the Ursuline Center in Toledo, gave back to God her life of 93 years.

We are thankful for Sister Mary Michel’s presence among us, for her fidelity and dedication to ministry and her love for Notre Dame. The Lord has heard the sound of her calling, he has shown her the way. May he now bring her to her dwelling place with him forever.