Sister Mary Charlene Curl

Sister Mary Charlene Curl, RSM died peacefully at McAuley Center, Farmington Hills on Tuesday, March 15, 2011. She was 95 and had been a Sister of Mercy for 71 years. She was born in 1915 to Charles and Edith (LaFevre) Curl and named Charlotte Mary at her baptism in Detroit's Holy Redeemer Church. Following graduation from Mercy Hospital School of Nursing in 1936, she began a career as a professional nurse. During this time, however, she was drawn to dedicate her life to God as a Sister of Mercy and so joined the religious congregation in September 1940. On August 16, 1946 she made perpetual vows at the Sisters of Mercy Provincialate in Detroit. Sister Mary Charlene also earned a bachelor's degree in nursing at Mercy College and did further studies in health care administration at St. Louis University, Aquinas Institute of Theology, and the Graduate School of Business at Indiana University. Her life was marked by devotion to the sick, the poor, and the elderly as she served in Mercy hospitals throughout Michigan in Muskegon, Detroit, Grand Rapids, Bay City, Manistee, and Battle Creek. During her 16+ years of service as administrator of Leila Hospital in Battle Creek she always kept quality of care as the organization's focus and visited patients herself as often as she could. A sabbatical was in order when she left hospital administration in 1983 after which she returned to Battle Creek and became involved in a new dimension of health care, serving in pastoral care, fund raising, and visiting nursing homes. In 1996, she and Sister Mary Blanche Lysaght, the last two Sisters at Leila Hospital, retired to McAuley Center in Farmington Hills. There she continued to help other Sisters as needed as long as she was able. Highlighting Sister Mary Charlene's life was participation in the 1965 Selma, Alabama March for Freedom. She joined members of other religious communities, priests, rabbis, and ministers from across the U.S. in non-violent action for civil rights with The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and others. In later years, Sister Mary Charlene had the opportunity to again see and speak with Dr. King when he visited Battle Creek. Sister Mary Charlene is survived by her brother, Joseph (Jan) Curl of Longboat Key, Fl, several nieces and nephews, many friends and colleagues, and the Sisters of Mercy. A Mass of the Resurrection will be offered in McAuley Center's Sacred Heart Chapel in Farmington Hills at 1 p.m. on Thursday, March 17. Burial will follow at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, Southfield. McCabe Funeral Home, Farmington Hills, is in charge of arrangements. Memorials may be made to the Mercy Ministry Fund, 29000 Eleven Mile Road, Farmington Hills, 48336.