Dominican Sister of Peace Patricia “Pat” Marie Sigler, OP, (Sister Assumpta), 83, died on October 17, 2017, at the Regina Health Center in Richfield, OH. Sr. Pat Marie, the eldest child of five born to Roy Sigler and Evelyn Chenevey, was born on August 31, 1934, in Wooster, OH. In 1951 she entered the Sisters of St. Dominic of Akron, now the Dominican Sisters of Peace.
Sr. Pat Marie ministered as an educator for nearly 28 years, serving in a number of Northeast Ohio schools including St. Matthew, St. Hilary, St. Paul, St. Felicitas, St. Dominic and SS Peter and Paul Schools. But teaching was just one of Sr. Pat Marie’s many talents. Referred to as a “Jill” of all trades by the late Sr. Ann Bailie, OP, Sr. Pat Marie was active in a variety of ministries that followed the Commitments of the Congregation and the Order.
Sr. Patricia Marie served as treasurer for her alma mater Our Lady of the Elms and on the school’s Board. She also served in the Dominican Sisters of Akron Leadership team and in other capacities within the Akron Motherhouse, even sewing habits for Sisters.
Sr. Pat Marie graduated from Our Lady of the Elms High School, a founded ministry of the Dominican Sisters of Peace. She received her Bachelor of Science in Education from St. John College, Cleveland, OH, in 1962 and Master of Science in Education from Youngstown State University in Youngstown, OH, in 1972.
She was a passionate advocate for the protection of Creation. Sr. Pat Marie was a co-founder and staff member of the Crown Point Ecology Learning Center in Bath, OH, and an advisory board member of the Revere Land Conservancy. She also facilitated the first gathering of the Dominican Alliance for ecology issues.
Sr. Pat Marie helped establish and served on the Board of the Good Samaritan Hunger Center in Akron, and was instrumental in founding the Akron-Canton Regional Food Bank as well.
Sr. Pat Marie was a recipient of the Meister Eckhart Award presented by Crown Point and was named “Woman of the Year” by the Women’s History Project of the Summit County Historical Society.
Sr. Pat Marie is survived by a brother, Loren, and sisters, Nancy Sprosty, Barbara Graver and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents and her sister, Elizabeth Palko.
A Vigil of Remembrance and Wake were held on October 20, 2017, at Our Lady of the Elms Motherhouse in Akron, OH. The Mass of Resurrection was celebrated at the Elms Chapel on October 21. Sr. Pat Marie was interred at the Holy Cross Cemetery in Akron, OH.
Memorial gifts in Pat Marie Sigler’s memory may be submitted securely online or sent to:
Dominican Sisters of Peace
Office of Mission Advancement
2320 Airport Dr.
Columbus, OH 43219.