Date of death: 8/7/2023
Saint Meinrad Class: SS 1984
St. Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana – ST. MARY-OF-THE-WOODS – Sister Adele Beacham died on Aug. 7, 2023, in Mother Theodore Hall, St. Mary-of-the-Woods.
She was born on March 9, 1926 in Toronto, Canada, to Joseph and Vera Brown Beacham and was given the name Floradele.
Sister Adele entered the Congregation of the Sisters of Providence on July 22, 1946 and received the name Sister Joseph Therese. She professed Final Vows on Aug. 15, 1954. She earned a bachelors degree from St. Mary-of-the-Woods College and masters degrees from Cardinal Stritch College and Saint Meinrad School of Theology.
In her 77 years as a Sister of Providence, she ministered for 30 years in schools in Indiana and Illinois. Twelve of those years she served as principal. She served as a school supervisor for the Archdiocese of Indianapolis from 1969-72. In 1979, she moved from teaching to parish work. She ministered as director of religious education at Sacred Heart Parish in Terre Haute from 1993 to 1998. She served as Director of Development for the Sisters of Providence from 1987 through 1990. In 1998, she retired from formal ministry but volunteered in many areas including prison ministry in Rockville, IN. Beginning in 2020, she dedicated herself totally to the ministry of prayer.
Sr. Adele was a woman of small stature whose energy and enthusiasm for life made her a very large presence. She was committed to serving others with love, working for justice, and giving her all for the common good. In her last year of life, she stated that her ministry, along with prayer, was to bring joy to others.
She is survived by nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death two sisters, Marilyn Huelsman and Anita Klosterman.