Sr. Denise Preterre died June 2, 2009, on the eve of entering her hundredth year. In fact, she was born on August 27, 1910 in France, in Bolbec, Normandy. She entered the postulancy in Picpus (Paris) in 1928, and she made temporary profession in 1930 and was immediately sent to Hawaii where she made her final vows August 4, 1933.
Sister Denise spoke often of her seven-year stay on the islands where her first task was to learn English so that she could teach, mainly the orphans in kaliha.
In 1937, she arrived in Quebec, where she continued to teach. She was a person of quality among the children and parents in Chambly, then in St. Bruno.
From 1978, Sister Denise was a member of several small communities of insertion opened in the Region of Quebec: the “mobile homes” of Saint-Hubert, Saint-Constant and Saint-Bruno.
In 2000, Sister Denise joined the community of Beloeil, but her health obliged her to go to the infirmary of the Motherhouse of the Sisters of the Presentation of Mary at St. Hyacinthe in 2003 where the other ss.cc. sisters joined her from 2004. Born French, Sister Denise had obtained Canadian citizenship in 1975, but her heart was “québécois” from the first day she set foot on the heavy snow in Chambly. Her love of Canada was so strong that a return to France was no longer feasible. And yet she loved her native land which made her hum to the end:
“I would like to see my Normandy; It is the country that gave me birth."
Sister Denise admired greatly, contemplated, created beauty around her. Who does not remember her very good taste in making bouquets, decorating a table, preparing an altar? All this demonstrated a deep spiritual life nourished in the Hearts of Jesus and Mary and an artist's heart.
We cannot forget her beautiful smile, her delicacy and politeness, always a kindly and friendly thank you for the least attention, a kind word that spoke volumes about peace and gratitude that prevailed in the depth of her heart.
With Sister Denise, the last “Franco-Quebecois” Sister has gone to the Father's House. We believe she has been welcomed by the Hearts of Jesus and Mary in whose service she spent 79 years! It is with this conviction that we ask that you join in our prayer of thanksgiving.
The Sister s of the Québec community
06/02/2009