Aston, PA—Sister Marie Adele Crettol, OSF, 86, died in St. Ann Convent in Tacoma, Washington, on June 30. She had been a professed member of the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia for 68 years. Sister Marie Adele was born in Wasco, California. She graduated from St. Joseph Academy in Pendleton, Oregon. She entered the congregation in 1943 and professed her first vows in 1945. Sister Marie Adele earned a B.A. in Education from Holy Name College in Spokane and an M.A. in Education from the University of Oregon. She served in education, congregational ministry, and parish ministry.

Sister Marie Adele ministered for 33 years in various parts of Oregon. Twenty five of those years were spent at Sacred Heart Academy in Klamath Falls, where she taught from 1949-1968 and returned to serve as principal from 1971-1977. Her years in the Portland area were primarily spent in congregational ministry. She was director of novices from 1968-1969. From 1978-1985 she was assistant provincial for the former Sacred Heart Province which was based in Portland.

Sister Marie Adele’s 17 years of service in the Diocese of San Diego began with teaching at Our Lady of Guadalupe School (1946-1948). She returned in 1994 to serve in parish ministry at Mission San Antonio dePala in Pala and continued her ministry there until 2009.

Sister Marie Adele also ministered for nine years in the Diocese of San Bernardino where she served as bookkeeper at St. Edward School in Corona from 1985-1994. An additional ministry in California included teaching at St. John School in her hometown of Wasco from 1977-1978.

Sister Marie Adele’s ministry in Washington included working at St. Joseph Children’s Home in Spokane where she served from 1948-1949. She returned to Spokane to teach at St. Charles School from 1969-1971. In 2009 Sister Marie Adele moved to St. Ann Convent in Tacoma Washington, where she served in prayer ministry until her death.

All services will be held in St. Ann Convent, 6602 S. Alaska Street in Tacoma. A Christian Wake Service will be held at 5:30 P.M., Sunday, July 7 followed by viewing. Mass of Christian Burial will be at 11 A.M. on Monday, July 8. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery. Sister Marie Adele is survived by her sister, Alice Frank; her nieces and nephews; and by her Franciscan family. Donations in her name can be made to the Sisters of St. Francis Foundation, 609 S. Convent Road, Aston, PA 19014.