Dominican Sister of Peace Francine Ashoff, OP, 95, died at Mohun Health Care Center in Columbus, OH, on Tuesday, January 9, 2018. She was born in Homestead, PA, in 1922 to Victoria Paskert and Adam Ashoff. She was professed in 1943 to the former congregation of St. Mary of the Springs, now the Dominican Sisters of Peace, and served God’s people for more than 70 years.
Sr. Francine earned a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from the College of St. Mary of the Springs (now Ohio Dominican University), and a Master of Education specializing in Social Studies from Indiana University of Pennsylvania.
She put her education to work by ministering as a teacher in Connecticut, Michigan, Pennsylvania, in Steubenville Ohio and in the Columbus diocese at St. Thomas in Zanesville, St. Mary Lancaster, OH, at Holy Name, and St. James the Less in Columbus. She taught children at every grade level from primary to high school and was devoted to sharing her love of learning with her students.
Sr. Francine suffered a stroke that left her unable to speak and move freely for more than ten years, and spent the remainder of her life at Mohun Health Care Center. In her preaching at Sr. Francine’s funeral, Sr. Louis Mary Passeri, OP, spoke of Sr. Francine’s gentle ministry of presence in those latter years, saying “Even though Francine served many of God’s people actively, who knows? Maybe the last ten years of her life were more productive than the first 85?”
Sr. Francine was preceded in death by her parents and her brothers Vincent and Donald. She is survived by her sister, Bernice, her brothers, Edwin and Alfred, and nieces, nephews, and grandnieces and nephews.
A Vigil of Remembrance was held on Tuesday, January 16 at the Dominican Sisters of Peace Motherhouse in Columbus, OH. The funeral liturgy was held at the Columbus Motherhouse on Wednesday, January 17, followed by burial at St. Joseph Cemetery.
Memorial gifts in Sr. Francine’s memory may be submitted securely online or sent to:
Dominican Sisters of Peace
Office of Mission Advancement
2320 Airport Drive
Columbus, OH 43219
For a printable copy of this memorial, click here.