August 5, 1941 — November 14, 2024
Sister Mary Ramona Dombrowski, 83, died in San Damiano Convent, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, after 65 years in religious life.
Sister Mary Ramona was born in Racine, Wisconsin, on August 5, 1941. She was the eldest of two children born to Edwin and Dorothy Dombrowski. At her Baptism in St. Stanislaus Church in Racine, Wisconsin, on August 17, 1941, she was given the name Elizabeth. After her father died in 1945, her mother later married William Keller and two more children were added to the Keller household.
Elizabeth attended Neshkoro State Grade School in Wisconsin and later entered the Felician aspirancy on August 14, 1955. She then became a student at Good Counsel High in Chicago, Illinois. On June 21, 1959, she was accepted into the Postulancy. She was invested on August 5, 1960, receiving the religious name of Sister Mary Ramona. Her Final Profession took place on August 7, 1967.
Sister Mary Ramona received her bachelor’s degree in 1965 from Mundelein College in Chicago, Illinois. She graduated from the University of Missouri Rolla in 1972 with a master’s degree and later graduated from St. Louis University in 1982 with a master’s degree in Health Administration. She did her post-graduate residency at Marian Health Center in Sioux City, Iowa.
Her first teaching assignment was at St. Turibius School in Chicago, Illinois in 1962. She also taught elementary school children at St. Hubert School in Hoffman Estates, Illinois and St. Bruno School in Chicago, Illinois. From 1967 to 1980, she ministered as a high school teacher and principal at Good Counsel High School in Chicago, Illinois.
From 1983 to 1987, Sister Mary Ramona served as Vice President of Professional Services, Executive Vice President and Chief Operation Officer and Board Emeritus at St. Francis Hospital in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. While in Milwaukee, she later served as President/CEO at Villa St. Francis, President/CEO at the Terrace at St. Francis and President at St. Joseph Day Care. She was on the Board of Directors for these Milwaukee Ministries as well as Birthright.
Sister Mary Ramona was elected to serve on the Provincial Council from 2005 to 2009. While on the provincial council, she also ministered at Felician Services, Inc. as Executive Vice President of Sponsorship; and Mission Integration, Senior Ministry Advisor to Social Services sponsored ministries and served on the Board of Directors.
Sister Mary Ramona was recognized as a very caring, wonderful person who was incredibly smart . She had a strong sense of being beloved by God and others which enabled her to face life with courage and selflessness. Her very presence was an act of service. She was a blessing to all she ministered to and with. She had a great Franciscan spirit and loved nature, animals , people – all were gifts from God.
Sister Mary Ramona loved the scripture passage, “Be still and know that I am God.” She took time to quiet herself in the midst of her daily life to hear where God was leading her and to follow His will. Sister Mary Ramona died in the presence of her sisters on November 14, 2024. Members of her family, many friends and sisters in community attended her wake and Mass of Christian Burial concelebrated by Reverend John Cella, OFM, and Reverend Bernard Kennedy, OFM, on November 18, 2024. Her body was taken for interment to St. Adalbert Cemetery in Niles, Illinois.
