Sister Florence served far and wide during 70 years of religious life

In her 70 years of service that spanned the continental U.S., Hawaii and South America, Sister Florence Gavin exercised her gentle influence through teaching, spiritual guidance and pastoral care.

Sister Florence, a Domincan Sister of Sinsinawa who also taught in Omaha, died Dec. 8 at St. Dominic Villa in Hazel Green, Wisconsin.

A funeral Mass was held Dec. 18 at her order’s motherhouse in Sinsinawa, Wisconsin, followed by burial in the motherhouse cemetery.

A native of Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, she entered religious life and professed first vows in 1950 and perpetual vows in 1953.

Also known by her religious name, Sister Petra, she taught for 30 years, including at Omaha schools St. Cecilia School from 1954 to 1956 and the former St. Richard School from 1968 to 1969.

Sister Florence also served as a teacher, director of religious education, nurse’s aid and sacristan, and provided spiritual guidance and pastoral care at schools and parishes in Illinois, Washington, D.C., Wisconsin, Oklahoma, California, Iowa, Alabama, South Carolina, North Carolina, Hawaii, Tennessee, and in Cochabamba, Bolivia.

She also provided pastoral care at her order’s motherhouse and volunteered at St. Dominic Villa.

Sister Florence is survived by nieces, nephews and her fellow Dominican sisters.