116 3rd St SE
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
Obituaries
The Gazette publishes obituaries on a daily basis. Use the search field above to search for obituaries by name or keyword. Readers can submit an obituary or submit a milestone to The Gazette. The obituary must be submitted before 1 p.m. for publication on thegazette.com at 6 p.m. and in the daily edition the next day, with the exception of obituaries for Sunday publication, which must be submitted by 1 p.m. on Fridays.
LaVigne, Sister Mary Dorothy
Sister Mary Dorothy LaVigne, RSM, 77, died Monday, Aug. 9, 2010, at Mercy Medical Center in Cedar Rapids, after a brief illness. Services will be held at 10 a.m. Friday at the Sacred Heart Convent Chapel in Cedar Rapids, by the Rev. David Ambrosy. Burial will be at the Mount Calvary Cemetery in Cedar Rapids. Friends may call from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday at Sacred Heart Chapel with a vigil service at 6 p.m. Arrangements are with Stewart Baxter Funeral and memorial services.
Sister Mary Dorothy La-Vigne was born June 26, 1933, to George and Edna Rigleter LaVigne in Saxon, Wis. As a child her family moved to Kalispell, Mont., where she attended St. Matthew's School and Troy High School in Troy, Mont. Sister Dorothy entered the Sisters of Mercy in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Aug. 1, 1953, and made her final profession of vows on Feb. 2, 1959. She received a bachelor's degree from Mount Mercy College in Cedar Rapids, majoring in History with minors in Home Economics and Education. In ministry Sister Dorothy taught second grade at Sacred Heart, Waterloo; St. Nicholas, Evansdale; Sacred Heart, Oelwein; and St. Matthew's in Cedar Rapids. In 1985, she left the classroom to assist with duties on the Sacred Heart Convent and Mount Mercy College campus as a teacher's aide, phone operator and food service worker.
In retirement, Sister Dorothy remained active as a volunteer contributing over 3,000 hours of service to Mercy Medical Center in Cedar Rapids. She enjoyed her time in the kitchen baking bread, making desserts, canning vegetables and preparing meals to show her hospitality to others. During the holidays she would put together food baskets for those in need in the community.
Sister Dorothy was preceded in death by her parents; brothers, John, Robert and Donald; and sisters, Dorothy Mae Wertz, Betty Lou Huggins and Mary Ellen Delange.
She is survived by a sister, Genevieve Holen; brother-in-law, Fred Huggins; aunt, Alice LaVigne; many nieces and nephews; and the Sisters of Mercy.
Memorials may be sent to the Sisters of Mercy at 1125 Prairie Dr. NE, Cedar Rapids, IA 52402.
Daily Newsletters