MARLBOROUGH -- Sr. Therese Dion, a Sister of St. Anne, known in religion as Sister Mary Louis Richard, died at the age of 83 at Marie Esther Health Center on May 2. She was in the 63rd year of Religious life. Sister was the daughter of the late Ferdinand and Cora (Birtz) Dion, of Worcester, MA. She completed her elementary education at St. Joseph, and her High School at St. Stephen High in Worcester. Sister Therese earned a B.A. degree from Anna Maria College, Paxton, MA; M.A. in Sociology from Notre Dame University, Indiana; and M.A. in Sociology: Religion from University of Massachusetts. She was awarded an honorary doctorate of humane letters from Assumption College, Worcester. Sister entered the Novitiate of the Sisters of St. Anne in Lachine, Quebec, and pronounced her religious vows in 1945. Sister Therese began her teaching career at the Kaknawake Indian Day School in Quebec. In the United States, she taught at St. Marie, Cohoes, NY, Holy Name High School, Worcester, St. John the Baptist School, Lynn, and on the faculty of Anna Maria College in the sociology department. Sister also was a lecturer at Nichols College, Assumption College, and Alaska-Pacific University in Anchorage. Sister Therese served as Provincial Leader of the Sisters of Saint Anne in the United States. Sr. Therese Dion was a pioneer in Ecumenism and was the first woman to head a diocesan ecumenical office. It has been said of her, "Her fingerprints are all over ecumenical endeavors from New England to Alaska." She served as ecumenical and interreligious officer for the Worcester Diocese and later for the Diocese of Norwich, CT. She also was the Associate Director of the former Worcester County Ecumenical Council. At the Graymoor Institute in New York city, she led the Roman Catholic Church's outreach program to Orthodox Churches around the world.

In recognition of her leadership, she received the Marion L. Harvie Ecumenical Service Award, the Bishop Arthur E. Walmsely Ecumenical Award, the Pope John XXIII Medal for forwarding the cause of Christian Unity within and for the church of Worcester as well as numerous citations from the Massachusetts Senate, the Alaska Legislature and the National council of Churches. Sister is survived by her brother Richard and his wife Carmen, from North Grafton; her sisters Sr. Mary of Providence, S.P., of Holyoke, Lucille and husband James Osborne of Pensacola, FL, Doris and husband Paul Racine of Oxon Hill, MD, Claire and her husband Richard Racine of South Yarmouth, MA and Jeanne Gallagher of Worcester, and several nieces and nephews. Sister was predeceased by her brother Rev. Louis Dion A.A., and her sister Irene.

The wake will take place at St. Anne Convent, 720 Boston Post Road East, Marlborough, on Wednesday May 6, from 2 to 4:30 p.m. with a prayer service at 4:30 p.m. The funeral Mass will be celebrated Thursday, May 7, at 10 a.m. in the Convent Chapel with burial in Saint Mary Cemetery, Marlborough. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Fitzgerald & Collins Funeral Home, (www.SFCFH.com) 378 Lincoln Street, Marlborough, MA 01752.
A memorial contribution may be made to The Sisters of St. Anne Retirement Fund 720 Boston Post Road East, Marlborough, MA 01752 or to a charity of your choice.