Sister Mary Ross

Sister Mary Ross                     ND 4555                    PDF Download

Norma Jean BURGARD

Immaculate Conception Province, Chardon, USA

Date and Place of Birth:              November 11, 1930      Erie, Michigan
Date and Place of Profession:   August 16, 1951              Toledo, Ohio
Date and Place of Death:            March 3, 2024               Sylvania, Ohio
Date and Place of Funeral:         March 9, 2024              Whitehouse, Ohio

Every Day is a Gift

Having moved to Rosary Care Center in Sylvania on December 28, Sister Mary Ross had only one thing left to do during her life of dedication to God: to give thanks and praise. With this gift – and to her every day was a gift – she entered into “God’s joyful surprise” returning her life of 93 years back to God on March 3, 2024.

Born to Ross Burgard and Hattie Stock Burgard, Norma Jean was the second oldest of eleven children: seven girls and four boys. A faith-filled, religious atmosphere characterized the Burgard family who made their home in the country on a farm during the Depression era. The sacraments and the rosary, family life, Catholic education, and religious life were topics of great importance. Four of the girls entered the Sisters of Notre Dame in Toledo: Sister Mary Ross, Sister Mary Dale (deceased 2015), Sister Mary Marc (deceased 2013), and Sister Mary Kent.

Sister attended St. Joseph School in Erie, Michigan, and Central Catholic in Toledo, Ohio. She entered the Sisters of Notre Dame in 1948 and began teaching one year later at Gesu School, Toledo. For the next 44 years Sister Ross taught grades one through four at Catholic schools in the Diocese of Toledo.

Throughout her 72 years of religious life, Sister witnessed to God’s goodness and provident care. This was especially evident when Sister taught small groups at Mary Immaculate School (Toledo) for special needs children from 1994-2009.

In December 2015 Sister Mary Ross moved to the Sisters of Notre Dame Center in Whitehouse where she engaged in community service for eight years, especially giving joy to others through her drawings of deer and ducks, “happy grams,” visits, and letter writing.

A gentle, patient, caring, cheerful person, Sister Ross strengthened her inner life with prayer. Wherever she was, she joyfully looked upon the place and people as “my mission.” May she spend her heaven making us her mission, interceding for us.

The motto she lived by was, “Every day is a gift” and she herself became a gift to all she encountered. Sister entered into her heavenly home on Sunday evening while a resident at Rosary Care Center in Sylvania, Ohio after having said a farewell to all the members of her family. May she now enjoy the beauty of the eternal city.