Obituary of Therese Fortin

Sr. Therese Fortin September 23, 1923 - March 08, 2004 Sister Therese Fortin, CND,known in religion as Sister Saint Lydia Marie, died at Norwalk Hospital in Norwalk CT, March 8, 2004 at the age of 80. She was born in St Johnsbury, VT, September 23, 1923, daughter of the late Joseph R. and Lydia M. Lachance Fortin. She completed her elementary and high school education in St Johnsbury, received a BA in English from DePaul University, Chicago and an MA in Mathematics from St Michael's College, Winooski. Sister Therese made First Profession of vows in the Congregation of Notre Dame of Montreal in August, 1944 and Final Vows in August, 1950. Her teaching ministry began in Lewiston, ME. from 1944-1948. She then taught in Chicago, IL from 1948-1956 and Kankakee, IL from 1951-52 and again from 1961-67. She served at Notre Dame HS in St Johnsbury, VT from 1957-1960 followed by one year of teaching in Providence, RI during 1967-68. In 1968, Sister went to St Columba in New York, NY where she taught in the elementary school and later served in the parish until 1977. From 1977-1981 she did tutoring for adults and served in parish religious education. She was missioned to Ridgefield in 1981 as a nurse's aide with the senior sisters where she served until she retired in 1995. She spent her final two years at Lourdes Health Care Center in Wilton, CT. Sister Therese is survived by a sister, Giovanne (Van) Belanger, a brother, Christopher, a sister-in-law, Virginia Fortin and several nieces and nephews. Funeral Information A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Thursday, March 11, at 10:00am at the CND, 223 West Mountain Road, Ridgefield, CT. Burial will follow in St Peter Cemetery Danbury, CT. Friends may call at the CND on Wednesday from 3:00 to 8:00 pm. Prayer service will be at 6:15pm. The Cornell Memorial Home, 247 White Street, Danbury is in charge of arrangements.