Sr. Gloria Marie Foret

SISTER GLORIA MARIE FORET

The third of four children was born to Angele (Haydel) and Wallis Foret in New Orleans, Louisiana on March 6, 1939.  She was baptized at St. Alphonsus Church on March 19, 1939, and named Linda Catherine. Linda enjoyed a happy family life with her sister, Merrilee, and brothers Eugene and Christopher.

Linda attended St. Mary’s Grade School and Redemptorist High School under the guidance of the School Sisters of Notre Dame.  For many years, she had felt a desire to become a religious sister.

Linda received the candidate’s veil at St. Mary’s Church on August 27, 1957, and entered the candidature at Sancta Maria in Ripa, St. Louis.  She was received into the novitiate on July 29, 1958, and given the name Gloria Marie. She pronounced first vows on July 30, 1959, in St. Louis and final vows on July 30, 1965, in Dallas, Texas. 

Sister Gloria Marie received a bachelor’s degree in art from the former Notre Dame College in St. Louis in 1962 and a master’s degree in early childhood education from Xavier University in New Orleans in 1976.

She spent 50 years ministering in Catholic education in a number of elementary schools in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. In 1995 she volunteered to serve with SSNDs in Ghana, West Africa where she taught primary school in Cape Coast for 12 years. Upon her return to the United States in 2007 Gloria had a year of renewal at Chatawa, Mississippi.

Her next journey took her to Rio Grande, Texas, to serve as a teacher aide at Immaculate Conception School. The Hispanic language and culture was a new challenge for her.  Four years later, she returned to St. Mary of the Pines and ministered in community service.  With the other sisters from Chatawa, she moved to St. Anthony’s Gardens in Covington, Louisiana in 2019.  She passed away peacefully in her sleep on August 1, 2024, two days after her 65th anniversary of religious profession.

Sister Gloria Marie was an excellent primary teacher and delightful community member.  She provided hundreds of children with a firm foundation on which to build their education.  She was a kind, caring and generous person. May she now rejoice with her God and family members as she enters eternal life.

Services for Sister Gloria Marie will take place at Most Holy Trinity Catholic Church, 501 Holy Trinity Drive, Covington, LA 70471 on Friday, August 9th.  Visitation begins at 10:00 followed by a prayer/shared memories service at 10:30, with Mass of Resurrection at 11:00 officiated by Father Mark Lomax.  Burial will take place at 1:30 in the School Sisters of Notre Dame Cemetery in Chatawa, Mississippi.  To access the Livestreaming of the services, go to mhtcc.net, Livestream Masses.

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