Sr. Mary Alice Ann (Alice) Gradowski, CSSF, of Bay City, entered eternal life April 25, 2020, while in St. Mary Mercy Hospital, Livonia. Sister was 73 years old and 55 years in religious life.
Born on May 5, 1946, Alice was the fifth of five children born to Stanley and Alphonsa (Andrzejewski): Virgil+, Ernest and Robert; and one sister, Maxine Kolat. Alice was baptized and confirmed at St. Hedwig Church in Bay City, where she also attended the parish grade school.
Following graduation in 1960, she attended Felician Academy in Detroit. In June 1964, Alice was accepted as a postulant to the Felician congregation, and the following year, at the investiture ceremony, she received the name Sr. Mary Fernanda, later changed to Sr. Mary Alice Ann. Final vows were professed in 1973.
Sr. Alice Ann earned a bachelor of arts degree from Madonna University in Livonia and a master of arts from Eastern Michigan University in preparation for a ministry of education that spanned 36 years. For the first 13 years, Sister mainly taught primary grades at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, Wyandotte; St. Valentine, Kawkawlin; and St. Christine, Detroit. For the next 23 years, Sister was assigned as principal at St. Dunstan, Garden City; St. Joseph, Jackson; St. Hyacinth, Bay City; and St. Thecla, Clinton Township.
As principal, Sister was involved in many extracurricular activities: Eucharistic minister, parish council, teaching in the RCIA program, conducting Share-the Word discussion groups and participating in weekend renewals. Attendance at basketball and soccer games, school dances, and parish raffles were also an important part of her life as principal.
Sr. Alice Ann served as local minister of several of the convents for 14 years. When the Presentation Central Convent held elections in 2000, Sr. Alice Ann was elected to the Livonia provincial administration as third councilor and director of education until 2006.
Following a short residence St. Francis Home in Saginaw and a final assignment at St. Stanislaus Convent, Bay City, Sister retired to Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Convent, Livonia. Assigned to dining room assistant and the ministry of prayer, sister performed her duties joyfully for 12 years. One of the first sisters in chapel in the early hours of the morning, Sister could be seen scurrying down the corridors in her wheelchair to visit the Blessed Sacrament and join in community prayer.
In early April, her health began to decline, and Sister was taken to St. Mary Mercy Hospital. On April 25, 2020, Sr. Alice Ann left this earth for her final journey to the God whom she so joyously served for 55 years in religious life.
Interment was in Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, Southfield, on Wednesday, April 29, 2020.
Obituaries for clergy and religious who have lived or served in the Archdiocese of Detroit may be emailed to [email protected]. Obituaries are printed as they are submitted, but may be edited slightly for grammar and style. Detroit Catholic reserves the right to refuse or edit any submissions.
