LEWISTON – Sister Gertrude M. “Elizabeth” Michaud died Oct. 9, in Lewiston.

She was born on Jan. 13, 1911, in East Millinocket, in a family of 13 children.

Although she had never seen any religious sisters, she felt called to religious Dominican life during a retreat in her hometown by a Dominican friar who put her in contact with the sisters of the Lewiston community, with whom she lived for a short time.

She entered the community as a postulant in Valleyfield, Canada, in September 1927 at the age of 16, and made her temporary commitment on Aug. 8, 1929. She made final vows in Sabattus on Aug. 8, 1934.

During her years at the boarding school in Sabattus, she taught the young students who became deeply attached to her and loved her dedication, originality, self-imagined stories, artistic gifts, trips in the local “woods” and visits to the magic of the “grandes roches.”

She was assigned to Staten Island, N.Y., when a community of sisters was founded in 1950. Teaching mostly fifth-graders, she soon became greatly loved and admired by her students, whom the sisters in her community called “Gertie’s Goodies.” She not only taught them the basic school subjects, but also impressed upon them the love of God and the church.

After 60 years of teaching, she retired at the Sabattus convent in 1993 and was admitted in 1997 to Sarah Frye Boarding Home in Auburn, where she received great care and which she truly made it her home, until transferred to d’Youville Pavilion in Lewiston for the last weeks of her dying process, which ended on Sunday, Oct. 9.

She is survived by the sisters of her religious community, who have lost a wonderful Dominican woman and sister.

She was predeceased by her parents and all her siblings. Of her generation, there remains only a supportive and well-loved sister-in-law, Marie Michaud, and several nieces and nephews.

Copy the Story Link