Lest We Forget
Sister Elizabeth Evanich, CSJP (1920-2008)
Sr. Elizabeth Evanich, known to us for many years as Gemma, was born in Swoyersville, Pennsylvania, a small town near the Susquehanna River, southwest of Scranton. Her parents, Mary Check and Joseph Evanich, had both emigrated from Czechoslovakia. Elizabeth was the tenth child and youngest girl born in the family of twelve children: four girls and eight boys. The main industry of Swoyersville and surrounding areas was coal-mining, and Sr. Elizabeth could easily relate to the movie “How Green was my Valley” —the story of a coal-mining town much like her own.
Sr. Elizabeth entered the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace in 1946, when she was 26 years old, having worked nine years at United Pants Company, a local factory. A parish reference notes that she was a very faithful member of Our Lady’s Sodality. Like many of our Sisters, Elizabeth first learned about our Congregation through what we refer to as “the magazine”—our St. Joseph Messenger, which was known at that time as “The Orphan’s Messenger and Advocate of the Blind.”
After profession of vows in 1949, Elizabeth was assigned to Catechetical work in Corpus Christi Parish, South River, and at St. Joseph’s Parish, Washington, NJ. Other early missions included St. Joseph’s Village, Rockleigh, Stella Maris Retreat Center, Elberon, and Villa Marie Claire, Saddle River. After completing nursing assistant classes at Holy Name Hospital, she ministered to the sick at St. Michael Villa. Assigned to Immaculate Heart Academy, Washington Township, Elizabeth was happy to serve the students for six years as a Library Aide. Her final ministry was back at the Villa Marie Claire as Housekeeper, and then, in poor health, she retired to St. Michael Villa in 1993, still hoping to continue to minister in any way that she could.
Sr. Elizabeth was a faithful woman, who served in various ministries wherever the need arose, and generously shared her life, her energy, and her gifts with others. I understand, too, that she was one who really enjoyed a good game of cards—especially pinochle!
Her last years were spent walking gradually more and more with God than with any of us, until she silently and uncomplainingly slipped away on April 23, 2008. Dear Elizabeth, we thank you; may you now know the great peace and love of God in fullest measure.
Margaret Jane Kling, CSJP