Sr. Mary James Laviolette

Obituary Mary James (Florence Marie) Laviolette Sister Mary James (Florence Marie) Laviolette died peacefully at St. Joseph Residence, Seattle on Friday, September 12, 2008. She was born February 20, 1914, the daughter of John and Mabel Laviolette in Tacoma, Washington. She experienced her early childhood in Tacoma where she attended Saint Patrick School. The family moved to Bellingham where she attended Assumption grammar and high school. She entered the Sisters of St. Dominic at Marymount, Tacoma on April 3, 1932 and made first profession on October 22, 1933 and final profession on October 25, 1936. This year Sister celebrated her 75th anniversary of profession. She received a BA in education from Central Washington State University and an MA from Gonzaga University in Spokane. Her ministerial years included: teaching music, 1933-1941; elementary teaching at St. Paul's, Yakima; St. Patrick, Tacoma; and Mt. Virgin, Seattle, 1941-1957. She served as principal at St. Patrick's, Tacoma, 1953-1956. From 1957 - 1962 she taught at Yakima Central Catholic High School in Yakima. Sister Mary James served in religious education in the Diocese of San Diego from 1962-1964 and in the Diocese of Yakima, 1964-1969. From 1975-1979 she served as secretary for the Religious Education Department in the Archdiocese of Seattle. She was principal of Aquinas Academy from 1971-1974 during the time of the tri-school merger (Aquinas, St. Leo's and Bellarmine) and vice principal at Bellarmine from 1974-1975. In 1975 Bellarmine honored her with the Saint Robert Bellarmine Award for her forty-two years of devoted service. She served as Retirement Director for the Congregation from 1969 - 1971 and as General Secretary from 1979-1983, and as Medical Clerk for the Congregation until her retirement. From 1983-1987 she volunteered with the St. Vincent de Paul Society in Tacoma. Sister Mary James is predeceased by her parents, John and Mabel, brothers, Ralph and Donald, and niece Carol O'Neill. She is survived her nieces Mary (Jim) Smith, Tacoma; Marcia Laviolette, San Francisco; Sister JoAnne Laviolette, DC, Los Angeles, grand-nieces Katie and Carley O'Neill, sister-in-law, Betty Laviolette and nephew-in-law, Dennis O'Neill. The Vigil Service will be, September 17, at 7:00 PM at St. Joseph Residence 4800 37th Ave. SW, Seattle; and the Mass of Christian Burial, September 18, at 11:00 AM, St. Patrick's Church, 1122 N. J St., Tacoma. Burial will be at Calvary Cemetery, Tacoma, at 2:30 PM. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Dominican Sisters of Tacoma Retirement Fund, 935 Fawcett Ave. S., Tacoma, WA 98402. Please leave online condolences at www.GaffneyCares.com. Arrangements by Gaffney Funeral Home, 253-572-6003