Sr. Madonna Marie Black, OP, baptized Marian Loretto Black, died on Saturday, Feb. 15, 2020, at the Dominican Life Center in Adrian. She was 93 years of age and in the 74th year of her religious profession in the Adrian Dominican Congregation.
Sister Madonna Marie was born in Kingman, Arizona, to Arthur and Mabel (Van Marter) Black. She graduated from Mohave Union High School in Kingman, and received a Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education from Siena Heights College (University) in Adrian and a Master of Music degree in Music Education from the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, California.
Sister spent 28½ years ministering in education in the areas of church music, art and liturgy in Detroit and Adrian, Michigan; San Francisco, La Puenta and Los Angeles, California; St. Petersburg, Florida; Santurce, Puerto Rico; and Albuquerque, New Mexico. This includes 17 years at St. Brendan Parish in San Francisco where she taught for 11 years and was principal for six years. Sister also was a pastoral minister for 14 years in Kingman, Cortaro, Mesa, and Phoenix, Arizona, where she used her skills in art, liturgy and church music as organist and choir director in the parishes. Sister became a resident of the Dominican Life Center in Adrian in 2013.
Sister was preceded in death by her parents; sisters Virginia Doyle, Viola “Gina” Dawson and Katherine Black and her brothers, Donald Black, Leo Black and Charles Black. She is survived by three sisters: Fran Madole of Kingman, Helen Tapp of Phoenix, and Mai E. Gray of Tucson, all in Arizona; nieces and nephews and her Adrian Dominican Sisters.
Welcome of Sister Madonna Marie will be on Wednesday, February 19, 2020, at 6:00 p.m. in the Dominican Life Center Lobby; the Wake will follow from 6:15 to 7:00 p.m. in the Rose Room of the Dominican Life Center. The Reception of the Body and Vigil Prayer will be at 7:00 p.m. in St. Catherine Chapel. The Mass of Christian Burial will be offered in St. Catherine Chapel on Thursday, February 20, 2020, at 10:30 a.m. The Rite of Committal will be in the Congregation cemetery. Memorial gifts may be made to Adrian Dominican Sisters, 1257 East Siena Heights Drive, Adrian, Michigan, 49221.
Funeral arrangements are being handled by Anderson-Marry Funeral Home, Adrian.
Sister ministered in Michigan for over three years:
- St. Mary High School, Adrian (1947-1947): Music/Religion Teacher/Liturgy
- St. Gabriel School, Detroit (1947-1948): Music/Religion Teacher/Liturgy
- St. Martin de Porres High School, Detroit (1967-1969): Music/Religion Teacher/Liturgy
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