Sr. Patricia Roy, CSJ, entered eternal life on April 16, 2024. She was 86.
Sr. Roy was born in Detroit, Michigan, on Sept. 14, 1937 the daughter of Alfred Roy and Eleanor (Kunky) Roy. Patricia was a member of St. Rita’s in Detroit, Michigan at the time of her entrance into the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Nazareth on Sept. 1, 1955. She received the name Sister Nora at her reception on July 2, 1956, but later returned to her baptismal name. Sister Patricia (Pat) pronounced first vows on July 2, 1958, and final vows on July 2, 1961.
Sister Pat graduated from St. Rita’s and then went on to earn her Artium Baccalaureatus degree from Nazareth College in 1966 with a major in Music. She furthered her education by pursuing her Master’s Degree from Western Michigan University with a degree in Music Education.
Sister Pat began her ministry at St. Mary’s in Niles, Michigan and taught at several other schools in the diocese including St. Margaret, Barbour Hall, and St. John Bosco, Mattawan. She also taught at St. Therese in Lansing and St. Christopher in Marysville. She continued in pastoral ministry at St. Joseph, Lake Orion; St. Charles in Coldwater; and Our Lady of Loretto in Redford.
In order to be closer to her aging parents, she then spent four years at St. John Parish in Oxford, Mississippi, serving in pastoral work, religious education and liturgy. Then in 1994 and for the next eight years, Sr. Roy was the director of pastoral ministry at Fontbonne/Nazareth Center and the pastoral minister of health care at St. John/Bon Secours in Detroit. In 2002, Sr. Pat’s pastoral ministry brought her back to Nazareth.
Sr. Roy was a loving, gentle person, a good listener, someone very easy to talk with about life and the profound presence of God in everyday life. This way of relating was very observable during her years in congregational services as the director of spiritual services and liaison to sisters in the nursing home until her retirement in January 2009. In her golden jubilee reflection, Sr. Roy wrote, “God has been good to me and it has been easy to share that joy with others. I look ahead with a smile and with confidence that God will continue to guide and bless me.” And now she is experiencing God’s smile for all eternity.
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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