Sr. Lurana Sankovic, IHM, 100, died November 18, 2022, at the IHM Motherhouse health care center.
Blaise and Antoinette (Yurkovich) Crnkovich, Croatian immigrants who married in Little Falls, New York, raised their two daughters and three sons in Detroit. Their daughter, Josephine Martha, was born on March 10, 1922, in Detroit. A student and graduate of Holy Redeemer Elementary and High School, she entered the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Monroe and received the religious name, Sister Lurana.
Sister Lurana earned a bachelor’s degree from Marygrove College and a master’s degree from Wayne State University, Detroit. Over 32 years, she taught all elementary subjects at St. Mary, Monroe; Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, Emmett; Annunciation, Holy Trinity, St. Gregory, St. Raymond, Epiphany, Detroit; St. Patrick, Wyandotte; St. Philip, Battle Creek; and St. Hugo of the Hills, Bloomfield Hills. She entered high school education when missioned to Luke Powers High School, Flint and Holy Redeemer High School.
After years in education, Sister Lurana transitioned to the ministry of caring for the elderly through the Kundig Center (Detroit) for 14 years as staff and Activities Director. This work was very satisfying and benefitted from Sister’s recognized energy and fast pace. She was always up for the task regardless of size or demand! In later years, she kept the same pace with the assistance of a walker.
She served the IHM community by overseeing accommodations for religious and retreatants at the community property in Kingsville, Ontario, as volunteer library and tutoring staff and as a physical therapy assistant at St. Mary Health Care Center. Sister Lurana retired to the Motherhouse in 2005 and remained active in the prayer life of the community. For many years, she created arts and crafts, and cultivated house plants, which were then offered at the annual Sisters IHM Christmas Sale. As she cared for many plants around the building, taking in strays and cast-offs, she always had time for passing visitors, those seeking horticultural advice or a good laugh and cheer.
Sister Lurana reached her 100th birthday and 80th year as an IHM Sister in 2022 with community celebrations and a trip to see her beloved Detroit Tigers. Only recently did she enter health care for assistance.
Sister Lurana is survived by her sisters in community. She was preceded in death by her sisters, Mary and Rose, and brothers, Thomas and Frank.
Services will be held at the IHM Motherhouse Chapel, 610 W. Elm Avenue, Monroe, Monday, November 21. Facial masks are required while in the building. Welcoming of the body begins at 9 a.m. with a Remembering and Mass of Christian Burial at 10 a.m. Livestreaming begins at 10 a.m. and may be viewed until Dec. 9, 2022. Green Burial will immediately follow in St. Mary Cemetery. Arrangements are under the direction of Rupp Funeral Home. Memorials may be made to the IHM Retirement Fund, 610 W. Elm Avenue, Monroe, MI 48162-7909.
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 for grammar and style. Detroit Catholic reserves the right to refuse or edit any submissions.
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