Sr. Mary Alexia Nehl

Obituary Sister Mary Alexia Nehl, OP (Helen), a Tacoma Dominican, died peacefully July 8, 2010 at St. Joseph Residence in West Seattle. She was born in Ipswich, South Dakota on April 30, 1922 and moved with her family to Washington State in 1929. The family settled in Centralia where she met the Tacoma Dominicans who staffed Saint Mary's School which she attended. Sister Alexia entered the Tacoma Dominican Novitiate at Marymount in 1936 and made her first profession on May 4, 1938. She taught in schools in the Puget Sound area - St. Edward, Seattle; St. Patrick, Tacoma; and Marymount Academy, Tacoma. She earned her Bachelor's Degree from Central Washington State College in Ellensburg and did further study at Holy Names College in Spokane. In addition to teaching, Sister Alexia served at St. James Cathedral Rectory for eight years. In the summer of 1966 she volunteered at Patton State Hospital in California along with Sisters Mary Bertrand O'Sullivan and Mary Aquinata O'Sullivan. Following sixteen years of teaching, Sister Alexia decided to embark on a new ministry - that of nursing. She received her LPN training through St. Peter Hospital in Olympia. Upon completing her nursing studies, she moved Marymount to care for the sisters residing in the infirmary. She also lived at St. Patrick's Convent in Tacoma and worked at a nearby nursing home. She then spent over a decade at Sharon Care Center in Centralia where her caring and compassion helped ease the loneliness of many who were without family and friends. In 1977 when she moved to Centralia, she came full circle, returning to the place where she first met the Tacoma Dominicans. She lived with Teresa Rice and they were always ready to welcome visitors to "the farm" Sister Alexia loved tending the garden, reaching out to those in need and being active in St. Mary's Parish. In December of 2007, Sister Alexia made the decision that it was time to leave Centralia as "She was slowing down." She moved to St. Joseph's Residence in February 2008. She participated in the activities of St. Joseph Residence for as long as she was able. She is remembered for her wonderful smile and kind words to the staff and residents at SJR and for all those who visited her. In 1998 Sister Alexia celebrated 60 years of religious profession. In addition to the community celebration, she was honored by St. Mary's Parish in Centralia. At that time, Sister Alexia said, "I wouldn't trade the life I've had for anything. It's been hard at times, but I don't think anybody's life is easy. You just say your prayers and plug along." In 2008, she celebrated seventy years of religious profession. When asked about her jubilee and her many years of ministry, she said "God has been good to me and I enjoyed the variety that teaching, nursing and housekeeping afforded me." Services for Sister Mary Alexia include the Vigil Service at St. Joseph Residence (4800 37th Ave. SW, Seattle) at 7:00 PM on Tuesday, July 13, with the Mass of Christian Burial on Wednesday, July 14, at 11:00 AM at St. Joseph Residence. Burial will be on July 14, at 2:30 PM at Calvary Cemetery, Tacoma. Memorial donations may be made to the Dominican Sisters Retirement Fund, 935 Fawcett Ave. S, Tacoma, WA 98402. Arrangements by Gaffney Funeral Home, 253-572-6003.