| Sister loved life in Corktown Sister Geraldine “Gerry” Sellman, Detroit |
Sister Geraldine “Gerry” Sellman, DetroitSister loved life in CorktownChristine Ferretti / / The Detroit NewsDetroit— Friends say Sister Geraldine "Gerry" Sellman was a welcoming woman who dedicated her life to promoting goodness and inclusion. A 41-year member of the Sisters of Charity of Our lady Mother of Mercy, Sister Geraldine worked to spread the message of peace in Iraq, El Salvador and her Corktown neighborhood in Detroit.
"She was a spark among us and so committed to life and to goodness, nonviolence and inclusiveness," said Sister Mary Ellen Ryley, one of 12 remaining United States members of the international congregation. "She felt that all people deserved dignity and rights — no exceptions." Sister Geraldine died of brain cancer on April 29, 2011, after spending her last months at the Immaculate Heart of Mary healthcare center in Monroe. She was 85. The eldest of five children, Sister Geraldine was born in Detroit in 1925. In 1950, she entered the convent of the Society of Mary Reparatrix, taking the name Sister Mary of St. Asaph. She transferred membership to the Connecticut-based Congregation of the Sisters of Charity of Our lady Mother of Mercy in 1971, and chose to return to her baptismal name. Sister Geraldine earned a degree in social work from Wayne State University. She spent time working as a clinical social worker at Detroit General Hospital Crisis Center and the Northville Regional Psychiatric Hospital. Sister Mary Ellen said Sister Geraldine moved to Corktown in 1981 and became an active member of the community, serving on the Corktown Citizen District Council board and on the neighborhood welcoming committee. Some friends and neighbors affectionately referred to her as "Mayor of Corktown." "She made sure that they bonded," Sister Mary Ellen said. "She believed so much in living in Corktown and loved the city." Sister Geraldine attended St. Leo Parish and was active in Pax Christi. She chaired the St. Leo Pax Christi-Detroit chapter and received a Pax Christi Purple Ribbon Award. A memorial service will be held at 7 p.m. May 13 at the Don Graham Funeral Home in Detroit. A funeral Mass will take place at 11:30 a.m. May 14 at St. Leo Church, 4860 15th St. This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it (313) 222-2069
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