A Mass of Christian Burial for Sister John Gabriel McPhee, D.C., was celebrated June 2, 2014, at Seton Residence Chapel in Evansville, Ind. Burial followed at St. Joseph Cemetery in Evansville.
Sister John Gabriel died May 29, 2014, at 97 years of age at Seton Residence. In June 2013, she celebrated 71 years vocation as a Daughter of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul.
Born Feb. 24, 1917, in Woodrow, Colo., Sister John Gabriel was one of nine children born to Jess John and Agnes Ellen (Fitzgerald) McPhee. She was baptized Mary Cecilia. Sister John Gabriel was a 1935 graduate of Easton High School in Easton, Mo.
Sister John Gabriel entered the Daughters of Charity in St. Louis in 1942. In 1952, Sister earned her Bachelor of Science degree in nursing education from Louisiana State University in New Orleans, La.
Sister John Gabriel’s first mission was as a nurse supervisor at Hotel Dieu in New Orleans (1944–1953); she then was missioned to Providence Hospital in Waco, Texas, where she served as administrator (1953–1958). From there, Sister was appointed administrator at St. Elizabeth’s Infant Hospital in San Francisco, Calif. (1958–1965). She then served as assistant administrator at Saint Thomas Hospital in Nashville, Tenn. (1965), and then as administrator at Saint Thomas (1965–1969). Sister John Gabriel then served in leadership for her Province as a provincial councillor for the former Mater Dei Province (Chicago, Ill., 1969–1971; Evansville 1971–1981). For the next five years, Sister John Gabriel ministered as the director of Daughters of Charity Shared Services Association in St. Louis, Mo. (1981–1986). She then served as a full-time board member at Saint Thomas Hospital in Nashville (1986–1987). Next, Sister ministered as her Community’s provincial treasurer at the former Mater Dei Provincialate in Evansville (1987–1992). She served as a mission services volunteer at St. Mary’s Hospital in Milwaukee, Wis. (1992–2000). In November of 2000, Sister entered the Ministry of Prayer at Seton Residence in Evansville where she served until the time of her death.
Sister John Gabriel is survived by her sister, Rita (Lambert) Dehner; many nieces and nephews; her Sisters in Community; and many friends.