A Mass of Christian Burial for Sister Aileen Marek, D.C., was celebrated Sept. 12, 2013, at the Marian Chapel in the Sarah Community in Bridgeton, Mo. Sister was interred Sept. 13 at Marillac Cemetery in Normandy, Mo.
Sister Aileen died Sept. 7, 2013, at 91 years of age at the Sarah Community in Bridgeton. In April 2013, she celebrated 71 years of vocation as a Daughter of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul.
Born in Hillsboro, Texas, on Feb. 10, 1922, she was one of nine children born to Adolph Henry and Aloisie (Horsak) Marek. Sister Aileen entered the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul in St. Louis, Mo., in 1942. She spent the majority of her Community life caring for patients, teaching nursing students, overseeing nursing departments and serving as a hospital volunteer.
Sister Aileen earned her high school diploma at Abbott High School in Abbott, Texas, in 1940; she earned her nursing diploma from St. Joseph School of Nursing in Chicago, Ill., in 1946 following instruction at DePaul University in Chicago. In 1950, Sister Aileen completed her Bachelor of Science degree in nursing education at DePaul University, and in 1970, she earned her Master of Science degree in nursing at Boston University, in Boston, Mass.
Sister Aileen began her ministry at St. Paul Medical Center in Dallas, Texas, where she served as administrative supervisor of the Children’s Hospital from 1947 to 1958. From 1958 to 1961, Sister ministered at O’Connor Hospital in San Jose, Calif.; then she served as pediatrics supervisor at St. Joseph Hospital in Chicago from 1961 to 1966. For two years, 1966 to 1968, Sister Aileen served at the Marillac Provincial House in Normandy. After completing her master’s in 1970, Sister was missioned to Hotel Dieu Hospital in New Orleans, La., where she served as a rehabilitation coordinator from 1970 to 1974. From 1974 to 1977, Sister Aileen served as director of resident services at St. Anne Home in Bridgeton, and from 1977 to 1978, Sister ministered as the assistant director of nursing services at St. Paul Medical Center in Dallas; from 1978 to 1981, she served as director of nursing services there.
From 1981 to 1983, Sister Aileen returned to Bridgeton, and she served as an employee health nurse at DePaul Health Center. From 1983 to 1985, Sister was a patient advocate at Hotel Dieu Medical Center in El Paso, Texas, and from 1985 to 1986, she served there in mission coordinator and mission affairs. Sister then was sent to New Orleans, where she served from 1986 to 1987 as the manager of the Family Medical Center; then in New Orleans from 1987 to 1993, Sister was the coordinator of lifeline at Hotel Dieu Hospital; and for eight months in 1993 in the same position at University Hospital in New Orleans. Sister then was missioned to San Antonio, Texas, where she was coordinator for holistic wellness at Daughters of Charity Services of San Antonio from 1993 to 1998. In 1998 to 1999, Sister Aileen moved to Emmitsburg, Md., where she ministered as a docent at the Shrine of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton. From 1999 to 2002, Sister served at Veronica House in Bridgeton, then in late 2002, she moved to Dallas, where she volunteered at St. Paul University Hospital for two years. In 2004, Sister was missioned to Waco, Texas, where she volunteered at Providence Health System for nine years until ill health prompted her return to Bridgeton, where she entered the Ministry of Prayer at Anna House in the Sarah Community in May of 2013.
Sister Aileen served on many boards of directors and was recognized in 1997 with the Nurse Imagemaker Award of Sigma Theta Tau Honor Society in San Antonio.
Sister Aileen is predeceased by her parents and all of her siblings. She is survived by many nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews, and her Sisters in Community.