Sister Rosemarie Terwey

Rosemarie Terwey, OSB

August 30, 1926 – May 4, 2016

Sister Rosemarie (formerly Oliver) Terwey (Smith), age 89, of St. Placid Priory, Lacey, Washington, died at Mother Joseph Residence on May 4, 2016. She was born August 30, 1926 in St. Cloud, Minnesota to James and Violet (Casey) Smith. Following the untimely death of her father, she was raised by Mr. and Mrs. Otto Terwey.

Sister Rosemarie joined St. Benedict’s Convent in St. Joseph, Minnesota and made her Monastic Profession on July 11, 1947. She taught for four years in Minnesota
before arriving in Tacoma, WA, in 1952. She completed her Bachelor of Arts degree and Teacher Certification at Saint Martin’s College. A lifelong learner, Sister Rosemarie studied Sacred Scripture at St. John’s University (Minnesota) with a special interest in the Prophet Ezekiel. In the early 1980s, she studied basic computer science at Saint Martin’s College.

Sister Rosemarie was a founding member of St. Placid Priory, founded as an autonomous monastery in 1952. Sister served the church in the Pacific Northwest as a teacher at Holy Rosary School, Tacoma; Visitation School, Tacoma; St. Ann’s School, Tacoma; and St. Placid High School, Lacey. Sister Rosemarie also staffed the Priory Wood Daycare. She served her community in Initial Formation, as Treasurer, Vocation Director and as a member of the Liturgy committee. When the Priory welcomed Benedictine Sisters from Tanzania, she tutored them in math and science.

Sister Rosemarie was involved in prison ministry at the Washington Corrections Center as well as jail ministry at the Thurston County jails for years. She was an avid Mariners’ fan, listening to the games on her radio and tracking the scores at each inning. She was a voracious reader and loved intellectual challenges. She loved animals of all kinds.

Sister Rosemarie was faithful to the Liturgy of the Hours and celebration of the Eucharist. A private person, she spent hours alone working on projects and generously serving others.

Her parents and her beloved foster parents; her sister Caroline; and brothers Robert, Thomas, Kenneth, Fred and Larry preceded her in death. Surviving are her sisters Jean, Gwen, Marjorie and Janet; her brother Raymond; many nieces, nephews, and cousins as well as her Sisters at St. Placid Priory.

Vigil service: 7 PM Thursday May 12 at St. Placid Priory
Mass of Resurrection: 1:30 PM Friday, May 13 also at St. Placid.
Donations in memory of Sister Rosemarie Terwey may be sent to St. Placid Priory, 500 College Street NE, Lacey WA 98516.