SISTER GERTRUDE MYRICK

COLCHESTER — Sister Gertrude Myrick (Sister Mary Charles) of the Sisters of Mercy died at McClure Miller Respite House on Jan. 9, 2024. Sister Gertrude was born in Bridport, Vt., on May 12, 1929, the daughter of Floyd and Beatrice (Nantel) Myrick. She received her early education in Bridport, Vt., graduated from Mount Saint Mary Academy, received a B.A. in English and Latin from Trinity College in Burlington, Vt., and an M.S. in Library Science from the Catholic University of America. She also did advanced study in Linguistics at Harvard University and completed the Institute for Religious Formation Program at Saint Louis University.

Sister Gertrude entered the Sisters of Mercy on Aug. 15, 1947, and professed her vows on April 20, 1950. She chose as her motto “My soul magnifies the Lord,” the opening line of the Magnificat, one of her favorite prayers.

She taught in elementary schools at Christ the King and Mount Saint Mary in Burlington, Vt., and Saint Mary’s School in Middlebury, Vt., in high school at Rice Memorial High School and Mount Saint Mary Academy and Trinity College, where she ministered for 30 years. She was an assistant professor of English and held many administrative positions, including academic dean, associate director of admissions, assistant to the president and director of campus ministry. She served on several boards, including Trinity College, Mater Christi School, McAuley Square, and the Trinity Children’s Center.  After serving as director of Sister Formation and novice director for her local community, she was the co-director of the national Sisters of Mercy Collaborative Novitiate in Philadelphia for two years. She also served on the VT Sisters of Mercy Regional Leadership Team for fourteen years and most recently was the VT Regional Community Archivist.

She enjoyed vegetable and flower gardening, sewing, studying old coins and stamps to find the rare one, fishing, Sudoku and jigsaw puzzles, Spider Solitaire and reading a good book, as well as playing cards with her friends and housemates.

Sister Gertrude is survived by her sisters in religion, the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas, her sister-in-law, Kathryn Myrick and several nieces and nephews: Larry (Tammy) Myrick, Stephen (Cindy) Myrick, Dennis (Andrea) Myrick, Sue Gilbert, Mary Paquette, Lori Myrick, Karen (Joe) Nunn, Kelli McSweeney, Kristine (Jim) Andrews, Klaudia (Mike) Gray, Kim (Spenser) Laramee, Karla Bondi, Kip (Lori) Myrick, and Kevin Myrick.  She was predeceased by her parents, Floyd and Beatrice; her stepfather, Joseph Langlois; her two brothers, Frederick and Robert, her nieces, Kathleen and Nancy, and her nephews, Dana and Stanley Myrick.

A Mass of Christian burial will celebrated on Saturday, Jan. 20, at 11 a.m., in the Sacred Heart Chapel at Mater Christi School (former Mount Saint Mary Convent), 100 Mansfield Avenue, Burlington, Vt., with visiting hours prior to the funeral Mass from 9:30-11 a.m.. Her burial will follow the funeral in the Mount Saint Mary Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Sisters of Mercy in support of their ministerial works. Attn: Sister Laura Della Santa, 356 Mountain View Road, Suite 101, Colchester, VT, 05446.

Arrangements have been entrusted to the care of the Ready Funeral Home, South Chapel, 261 Shelburne Rd, Burlington, Vt. ◊