December 7, 1924 – February 1, 2023
Please pray for the repose of the soul of Sister Teresa Maria Eagan, who passed away on February 1, 2023, at Nazareth Living Center in St. Louis, Missouri. She was 98 years of age.
Sister Teresa, baptized Theresa Rosaline, was born on December 7, 1924, in St. Louis to parents Patrick John and Marguerite B. (Franey) Eagan. She entered the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet on September 15, 1943, and was received into the novitiate on March 19, 1944. She earned a bachelor’s degree in Spanish from Fontbonne College in St. Louis in 1954 and a master’s degree in library science from Rosary College (now Dominican University) in River Forest, Illinois, in 1969.
Sister Teresa was an educator for 30 years, beginning as a teacher in St. Louis at Notre Dame de Lourdes Grade School in 1946, and then at St. Mary Grade School in Bridgeton, Missouri until 1956.
For the next 20 years, Sister Teresa’s ministry assignments took her around the country. She taught at Sacred Heart Grade School in Shawano, Wisconsin, and at Redemptorist High School in Kansas City, Missouri.
Hearing loss made classroom ministry a challenge for Sister Teresa, so, after studying library science, she worked as a school librarian at St. Francis de Sales High School in Denver; Reicher Catholic High School in Waco, Texas; and St. Teresa’s Academy in Kansas City.
She returned to St. Louis in 1976, putting her skills to use for her CSJ community as the assistant archivist for the province. She then served at the neighborhood organization, Carondelet Community Betterment Federation, as records manager. In 1986, Sister Teresa became the assistant archivist for the St. Louis Archdiocese.
Sister Teresa retired in 2001, spending her time serving in volunteer ministry at Cardinal Ritter Senior Services; as a Eucharistic minister at her parish church, Curé of Ars; and as a prayerful, pastoral presence at Holy Infant Apartments.
Since 2019, she resided at Nazareth Living Center, where she carried out her ministry of prayer and presence.
The Funeral Mass for Sister Teresa will be held on February 9 at 10 a.m. at Nazareth Living Center, 2 Nazareth Lane, St. Louis, MO 63129. She will be buried at Resurrection Cemetery. The Mass will be available to view via livestream.
Memorial contributions may be made to: Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, St. Louis Province, 6400 Minnesota Ave., St. Louis, MO 63111-2899 or donate online.