Sister M. Francis Regis Vagt, IHM
Sister M. Francis Regis Vagt, IHM, of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary died on Saturday, July 28, 2018, at Our Lady of Peace Residence in Scranton.
She was born on September 10, 1932, in Savannah, GA, and given the name Estelle. She was the daughter of the late Henry and Estelle Schomaker Vagt. She entered the IHM Congregation on September 8, 1950 and made her temporary profession of vows on August 2, 1953 and her final profession of vows on August 2, 1956.
Sister Francis Regis served as a teacher at the following schools: St. Joseph Elementary School in Williamsport, PA, from 1953 to 1956; St. John the Evangelist Elementary School in Silver Spring, MD, from 1956 to 1960; St. Rita Elementary School in Baltimore, MD, from 1960 to 1965; St. Mary Elementary School in Goldsboro, NC, from 1965 to 1968; St. John the Evangelist Elementary School in Binghamton, NY, from 1968 to 1973; St. Ephrem Elementary School in Brooklyn, NY, from 1973 to 1984 and 1995 to 2015; and St. Peter of Alcantara in Port Washington, NY, from 1984 to 1995.
She also served as a volunteer at the IHM Heartworks Gift Boutique at Our Lady of Peace Residence in Scranton, PA, from 2015 to 2018.
Sister Francis Regis was also a prayer minister at Our Lady of Peace Residence in Scranton.
She received a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science degree in elementary education from Marywood College, and a professional degree in reading specialty from St. John’s University.
She is preceded in death by two brothers, C. Edward and Joseph Walker.
She is survived by the members of the IHM Congregation.
The funeral will be Wednesday, August 1, at 11:00 a.m. with Mass of Christian Burial at Our Lady of Peace Residence, 2300 Adams Avenue in Scranton. Friends may call at Our Lady of Peace Residence on Tuesday, July 31, between 3:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. A prayer service will be held at 4:00 p.m. Interment will follow Mass on Wednesday at St. Catherine’s Cemetery in Moscow, PA.
Memorial contributions may be made to support the retired IHM Sisters c/o the IHM Sisters Retirement Fund, IHM Center, 2300 Adams Avenue, Scranton, PA 18509.
Funeral: https://video.ibm.com/recorded/116365839
Vespers: https://video.ibm.com/recorded/116354392
Reprinted from "In Memoriam" section of Journey, Fall 2018 issue
Reflection given by Sister Ellen Maroney, IHM Congregation President
Sister M. Francis Regis Vagt, Funeral August 1, 2018
Do your little bit of good where you are; it’s those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.
(Bishop Desmond Tutu)
These words speak to what I think Francis lived to be and do each day. She was a person who loved and trusted in God, expressed gratitude for God’s graces in her life, and dedicated each day to doing maybe not extraordinary things, but doing ordinary things in an extraordinary way. Those same qualities were referred to by many sisters when they heard of Francis’ death last Saturday.
Francis’ journey to our congregation began in Savannah, Georgia, where she was born. Her family moved to New York City, where she attended Sacred Hearts Elementary School and St. Alphonsus High School and met the IHMs. Growing up, she developed her deep faith in God and an awareness of the importance of education in order to be able to make a difference in the world. She was also encouraged to be an objective thinker who would be true to her own unique gifts and talents.
Those who knew Francis as sister, educator, mentor, and friend know that she was indeed dedicated in her commitment to her calling as a teacher. She taught for over sixty-two years in schools in Pennsylvania, Maryland, North Carolina, and New York, and left her heart in Saint Ephrem’s Elementary School in Brooklyn. She sought to instill in her students at an early age a desire to develop to their full potential as individuals. On the surface, Francis could sometimes seem demanding of her students, but underneath was a kind, sentimental core that showed itself in so many acts of thoughtfulness and kindness. Her goal was fundamentally to help the students become better human beings, and in so doing, to draw closer to their loving God.
Francis was a person of integrity, who lived and spoke the truth as she knew it, even if it was not always popular. She was a loyal friend who could relax and enjoy being in the company of others. Francis was a wonderful listener who took the time to be a patient, non-judgmental presence with others. Of course, her infamous rabbit, “Meep,” held a special place in her heart. Those who lived with Francis recount the way she would carry on a conversation with Meep, and truly, it seemed Meep knew exactly what she was saying! I mentioned yesterday that I’ve heard there are some wonderful stories about the shopping expeditions that Francis and her dear friend, Sister Edith Fondecchia, would take. That love of shopping was put to good use when Francis came to OLP because she so generously offered to take sisters shopping or go herself to get whatever someone needed. Francis was a constant visitor to the sisters here, offering companionship and a presence of prayer and love especially when a sister was dying.
We pray very specially today in memory of Francis’ parents, Estelle and Henry, and her brothers, C. Edward and Joseph, and her dear friend, Sister Edith Fondecchia, who have gone before her and with whom she is enjoying the eternal presence of her God.
We pray for those people whose lives were touched by Francis’ kindness and dedication, especially her friends, Mary Jane, Felicia Ann, and Cecilia, and the sisters in Household 2B here at OLP, and all who knew and accompanied her on her life’s journey.
I think we can say with certainty that Francis did a lot of “little bits of good” wherever she was, and together, those acts of kindness and generosity had a significant impact on those of us who knew her. And so today we give abundant thanks to God for the gift of Francis’ life and celebrate the beginning of her eternal life in heaven.
I now ask Felicia to place the scriptures on her casket, for she heard the Word of God; indeed, she staked her life upon it, and received life to the full ... the Word now beckons Francis home.
