Sr. M. Regina Graham, OP

Springfield Dominican Sister M. Regina Graham, OP died on March 16, 2016. She was born in Martinsville, Ill. in 1926 and named Helen Joan, one of eight children born to William and Lena (Callahan) Graham. She took the name M. Regina when she made her profession of vows in 1943 at Sacred Heart Convent, Springfield. Sister M. Regina served the people of God for 73 years. Her early years of ministry were given to kindergarten teaching at Little Flower (1948-1952) and Christ the King (1958-1966). She was a founding teacher in both schools. She also served at Holy Rosary Duluth, Minn.; St. John Bosco, Chicago; Holy Family, Decatur; and St. Bernadette, Evergreen Park, before becoming principal of Rosary High School, Aurora, where she served from 1979-1989. From 1989-1995 and 1999-2002, she was Director of Resident Services at St. Catherine's Village, a continuing care retirement community sponsored by the Dominican Sisters in Madison, Miss. In the interim, she served as prioress at Sacred Heart Convent. In 2002, she returned to Springfield to take an administrative role at Sacred Heart-Griffin, and then in 2006 became a pastoral minister at Sacred Heart Convent until her retirement in 2014. Sister M. Regina was preceded in death by her parents; sisters, Mary Kathryn Searls and Marilyn Graham; and brothers, William H. Graham Jr. and Robert L. Graham. She is survived by a sister, Wilma Jean Delp, Pensacola, Fla.; brothers, Gerry A. Graham, Nacogdoches, Texas, and John S. Graham, Martinsville, Ill.; sister-in-law, Suzanne Chrysler, Woodlawn, Ill.; and many nieces and nephews. Visitation: A visitation will be held from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Sunday, March 20, 2016 at Sacred Heart Convent, 1237 W. Monroe St., Springfield. A vigil service will be held at 6:30 p.m. Funeral Mass: 10:00 a.m. on Monday, March 21, 2016 at Sacred Heart Convent with Rev. Peter Witchousky, OP, celebrant. A prayer service will be held at 9:00 a.m. Burial will follow at Calvary Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Dominican Sisters Retirement Fund, 1237 W. Monroe St., Springfield, IL 62704.