Sister Mary Alexandrette (Jenny Martha) Smith, 97, a Felician Sister for 75 years, peacefully went home to her God on Saturday, Sept. 11, at Notre Dame Convent in Waterdown.

Prior to entering the Felician Sisters community, the former Jenny Martha Smith, a native of Alberta, completed her elementary and high school education in a rural setting in Alberta and completed her teacher’s college in Edmonton. She taught for four years and then left Alberta to follow her religious vocation. She was formally accepted as a postulant in the Felician Sisters community in Buffalo, New York, on Feb. 2, 1947, for her initial formation and completed 6 months postulancy, novitiate, and short time of temporary profession. She professed her final vows on August 9, 1954.

Following her initial formation in Buffalo, Sister Alexandrette returned to Canada in 1950 and served as a teacher and principal in the Dufferin-Peel area for 16 years. Sister was then called by her community to serve as directress of novices for a number of years and then as provincial superior of the former Canadian vice-province. She was involved in retreat work and spiritual direction throughout her many apostolic assignments. She spent a number of years working for the Holy Childhood Association as a director of mission education in Catholic schools. She educated teachers and students about the missions, cultural differences, and the experience of going to Guatemala and Honduras gave her first-hand knowledge, credibility, and concrete materials to support her sharing and teaching. In another mission experience, Sister worked in Tulita, Northwest Territories for two years working with the indigenous Dene people, teaching religion to the children, and being a compassionate presence to the people.

Sister Alexandrette was a deeply spiritual, caring, and friendly person, who loved working with people bringing compassion and joy. When she finished a sabbatical year at Gonzaga University, she began a new ministry of being a pastoral assistant at Sts. Peter and Paul Parish in Welland, Ontario. She loved her 16 years of working with and ministering to the people there. She was an anchor to the parishioners during the time of the devastating fire that destroyed the church on December 29, 1996, just three months after extensive renovations of the church had been completed. For the next two years during the grieving and construction of a new church, she was a great support in the community.

In 1999, Sister Alexandrette received a special papal award, “The Cross for the Church and Pontiff”. His Holiness, Pope John Paull II, bestowed this award on those who make significant contributions to the life of the Diocesan Church. Sister was granted this award for her great leadership in the Polish community of Sts. Peter and Paul Parish in the diocese of St. Catharines, and her outstanding ministry of service as a Felician Sister for over 50 years. Throughout all her years of ministry, Sister Alexandrette was a positive influence and would be called upon to share her faith, Franciscan spirituality, joy, and struggles in speeches/presentations she would give at graduations, on special anniversaries, or occasions for various groups at nursing homes, parishes, with the secular Franciscans, etc.

Following the closing of the Felician Sisters’ convent (Sts. Peter and Paul)
in November 2000, Sister Alexandrette moved to Immaculate Heart of Mary Convent in Hamilton, Ontario. She volunteered to visit the homebound and needy, a local long-term care center and served in the local leadership at the convent. In 2011, with the debilitating disease of “Alzheimers” taking its toll, she was accepted in the care center at the residence of the St. Joseph Sisters in Toronto. After a number of months, she moved to the Notre Dame Convent in Waterdown, Ontario, where the School Sisters of Notre Dame and nursing staff took wonderful care of Sister Alexandrette for 10 years in their care center.

Sister was predeceased by her parents, Lucas and Victoria, as well as all of her 12 siblings (Kate, Mary, John, Stanley, Michael (Fr. Mike Smith, OMI), Andrew, Peter, Rose, Anne, Elizabeth, Frank and Benny. She is the beloved aunt of many!

The Felician Sisters express their most sincere gratitude to the School Sisters of Notre Dame, and their nursing staff for their dedicated care of Sister since 2011.

Visitation took place at Turner & Porter Funeral Home – Neweduk Chapel, in Mississauga on September 13th from 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

The Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated at Holy Name of Mary Convent Convent Chapel on Tues. Sept. 14th and interment was held at Assumption Cemetery.

In Lieu of Flowers, donations may be made to Felician Sisters.

Funeral arrangements entrusted to Turner & Porter “Neweduk” Chapel, Mississauga, Ontario.