Sister Patricia Huesman, SSND
July 30, 1933 – Sept. 4, 2019
“In the year nineteen hundred and thirty-three, on the thirtieth of July, I arrived.” So begins the life history written by Patricia Huesman on her entrance into the School Sisters of Notre Dame. Leo Omer and Ellen Houck Huesman welcomed their second daughter, Patricia Anne, to their Baltimore home, where her sister Margaret awaited her. The Huesman family grew to include three more sisters and two brothers.
Patricia Anne was baptized at St. Agnes Hospital, Baltimore, Md., a few days after her birth. At the age of six, her education began at St. Martin’s School, where she was taught by the Sisters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul. Patricia made her first Holy Communion at St. Martin’s Church. After transferring to Fourteen Holy Martyrs School, she was confirmed in that parish by the Most Rev. Michael Curley, Archbishop of Baltimore.
Patricia began high school at St. Martin’s High School, and after one year, transferred to the SSND Aspiranture at Holy Angels Academy in Fort Lee, N.J. Pat said in her autobiography that the change was “due to the desire to belong to God alone, which I had ever since I can remember.” Pat completed her high school years at the aspiranture and graduated on June 8, 1952.
Patricia received the bonnet as an SSND candidate at St. Bernardine’s Church, Baltimore on Aug. 28, 1952. She studied at the Notre Dame Teacher Training School and then taught second grade at St. Mary’s School, Govans, Baltimore. Patricia was received into the novitiate on July 10, 1954 and was given the name, Sister Mary Omer. Sister Mary Omer professed her first vows on August 1, 1955.
Sister Omer was sent to teach first grade at Holy Redeemer School, Rochester, N.Y. She continued to teach at Our Lady of Perpetual Help School, Washington, D.C.; St. Frances School, Keyser, West Virginia and Our Lady of Fatima School, Baltimore. In 1974, she became vice-principal at St. Matthew School, Baltimore. She was appointed the principal at Bishop John Newman School, Baltimore in 1976. She moved to St. Benedict Parish, Baltimore in 1985 as the director of religious education. While there, she took on additional roles as teacher and pastoral associate. Pat was also principal at Good Shepherd School, Perryville, Md. for two years. In 1989, she became the Director of Religious Education at St. Agnes Parish, Catonsville, Md. She served as a Pastoral Associate at Our Lady of the Angels at Charlestown Retirement Community, Catonsville, Md., from 2004 until her retirement in 2015.
Sister Patricia’s advanced degrees in education include a Bachelor of Arts in Education received from the College of Notre Dame of Maryland (now University) in 1965 and a Master of Education in Reading and Elementary Education from Loyola College (now University) in 1971.
We each remember Sister Patricia in our own special way as the unique person she was for us. She was a sister in community, a good friend, and a fellow traveler with her companion Sisters through their day-to-day lives and on retreats and vacations to mountains and shore.
Pat rejoiced in her large, loving family and happily celebrated family events. The support of her family meant much to Pat. It was a joy to her to have spent most of her years close to home.
Prayer and unity with the SSND mission were key aspects of Pat’s life. The fulfillment of Mother Theresa’s desire for response to the needs of children, the poor and the elderly was lived by Pat as she ministered at schools and parishes, at Charlestown, and in her visits to nursing homes. Looking back, one can see all the good things Pat brought to life as she lived the SSND directive: “Love gives everything gladly.”
During the months when Pat suffered her last illness at Maria Health Care Center, her concern was for her Sisters, especially those who came to be with her. “You have been here all day,” she said. “Go and get some rest.” Sister Patricia died peacefully on Sept. 4, 2019.
The Christian Wake Service was held on Sept. 9, 2019 and the Liturgy of Christian Burial was concelebrated on Sept. 10. Concelebrants were Sister Patricia’s former students: Reverends John Gagnier of Rochester, N.Y. and Robert Wojtek, CSsR, of the Bronx, N.Y. Interment followed at New Cathedral Cemetery, 4300 Old Frederick Rd., Baltimore, Md., where Sister Patricia was buried at the Huesman family burial site. Sister Patricia is survived by her sisters and brothers: Kathleen Ford, James Huesman, Mary Frances Damiano, Gerard Huesman and Elizabeth Huesman. She is also survived by many nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews.
-Jeanne Hildenbrand, SSND