Maria De Jesus Ybarra, Op

Obituary Sister Maria de Jesus Ybarra, OP Sister Maria de Jesus Ybarra, OP, died peacefully at St. Joseph Residence in Seattle on May 2, 2015. Born October 14, 1928 at Edinburg, Texas, Maria was the first of twelve children nurtured by Pantalion Ybarra and Cesaria de la Rosa Cortez. In 1950 the family moved to Washington State to further the education of their children. Maria entered the Company of Mary, a religious Congregation dedicated to education, in 1954; she professed her vows June 17, 1957.After completing her education and training, Sister Maria taught in the parochial schools of California and New Mexico from 1963-1971. The previous year Bishop Patricio Flores of the San Antonio Diocese had organized the group P.A.D.R.E.S to meet the needs of the Hispanic people. Its members encouraged Chicana Sisters to organize as Las Hermanas. Sister Maria experienced a strong desire to live a life dedicated to the needs of the impoverished Hispanic Community. Her later ministry included work as Coordinator at Las Hermanas in San Antonio, and, later, Director of Hispanic Ministry in the diocese of Yakima, Washington. To continue her ministry in Yakima, Sister Maris discerned a call to transfer to the Tacoma Dominican Community. In 1982, she professed vows as a member of that community. She worked 26 years as Director of The Hispanic Pastoral Diocesan Program in Yakima which, in her words, met the need of people "from cradle to grave." With the Yakima program well-established, Sister Maria then moved in 2001 to begin and lead programs in Sioux City, Iowa. Health problems caused her return to Washington in 2004. She considered her "retirement" as the opportunity to continue writing poetry and to gather the earlier poems together. Her biography includes membership and participation in numerous groups on the national and international levels. These include Las Hermanas, National Conference for Women in Latin American Countries, Catholic International Cooperation Program and two International Meetings on Immigration. Sister Maria was active in The United Farm Workers Movement and spent time working with Cesar Chavez. She also developed Projecto Mexico, an educational program to help Sisters (Hispanic)) minister to the Hispanic people. Her many awards and tributes reflect the respect and love which she inspired in many associates and friends. In writing a brief autobiography, Sister Maria concluded, "I sincerely believe that the past has its time and, for it, we should give the past Thanks. Today is our HOUR; we are responsible for this time in history. The Latin American says, ‘Traveler, there is no road; we will make it as we walk.'" In addition to members of her Tacoma Dominican Community, she is survived by siblings: Natalia Ybarra (Salvadore Fernandez); Dora (Jenaro) Castaneada; Jose (Barbara) Ybarra; Ernestina (Clark) Dougherty; Dario Ybarra; Manuelita (Ray) Lira; Eva Ybarra; Adam Ybarra; Humberto (Donni) Ybarra; Ricardo (Terry) Ybarra and many nieces and nephews. Her parents Pantalion and Cesaria de la Rosa and her brothers Aurelio and Ambrosio predeceased her. A Vigil will be celebrated on Friday evening, May 8, 2015 at 7:00 PM at St. Joseph Residence, 4800 37th Ave. SW, Seattle, WA 98126. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Saturday, May 9, 2015 at 10:00 AM at Mt. St. Vincent Chapel, 4831 35th Ave. SW, Seattle, WA 98126. Inurnment at Calvary Cemetery. Memorial donations may be made to the Dominican Sisters Retirement Fund at 935 Fawcett Ave., Tacoma, WA 98402. Online condolences and more information on her life can be found at www.gaffneycares.com. Arrangements by Gaffney Funeral Home, 253-572-6003.