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August
8, 2005 
VOL.
43, NO. 14Oakland,
CA
OBITUARIES
•Sister Mary Ambrose Devereux, SNJM
•Sister Dominic Marie Tojo, OP
Founding pastor in Fremont dies
Father John W. Morgan, the founding pastor at St. James
the Apostle Parish in Fremont, died July 29, a month after reaching his
79th birthday.
Born in New Philadelphia, Ohio, he grew up in Iowa and was raised in the
Presbyterian Church. After graduating from Coe College in Cedar Rapids,
he came to northern California to attend Stanford University, where he
studied German. During his studies there he converted to Catholicism and
shortly afterwards was admitted to St. Patrick’s Seminary in Menlo
Park, said Oakland Bishop Emeritus John Cummins, a longtime friend.
“His seminary experience was a very happy time for him, I think,”
Bishop Cummins said. “It just reinforced his conversion.”
Ordained to the priesthood in 1958, Father Morgan served briefly as an
assistant pastor at Mission Dolores in San Francisco but spent much of
his priestly ministry in the East Bay. He served as an associate pastor
at St. Perpetua, Lafayette (1958-60), St. Joseph, Berkeley (1960-63),
St. Louis Bertrand, Oakland (1963-65) and St. Michael Parish, Livermore
(1970-72).
He was appointed pastor of the newly created parish of St. James the Apostle
in 1972 and remained there until his retirement in 1993. The new parish,
formed from part of Holy Spirit Parish in Fremont, began with 700 families.
Father Morgan was a chaplain in the U.S. Air Force from 1965-1970.
Friends will remember Father Morgan for his loyalty and his “remarkable
sense of humor,” Bishop Cummins said.
The funeral Mass was held Aug. 2 at St. James Parish in Fremont. Burial
followed at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Hayward.
Sister Mary Helen Bauer,
OP
Mission San Jose Dominican Sister Mary Helen Bauer, a longtime educator
who taught at two elementary schools in the Oakland Diocese, died July
18 at the Dominican Sisters Motherhouse in Fremont. She was 92 years old
and had been a Dominican Sister for 73 years.
Born in Los Angeles, she earned her bachelor’s of arts degree and
elementary credential at Dominican College in San Rafael. She was a teacher
at St. Elizabeth School in Oakland from 1934 – 1937 and the School
of the Madeleine in Berkeley from 1937 – 1941 and 1945 – 1947.
She also taught at elementary schools in San Jose and San Gabriel and
served as a principal at schools in Los Altos, San Francisco, Los Angeles,
Anaheim and Santa Barbara. She served her religious community as local
superior, treasurer, administrative assistant and tutor.
The funeral Mass was held July 22 in the Dominican Sisters Chapel in Fremont.
Burial followed in the Sisters’ cemetery. Memorial gifts may be
made to the Dominican Sisters Circles of Caring Fund, 43326 Mission Blvd.,
Fremont, CA 94539.
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Sister Mary Ambrose Devereux,
SNJM
Holy Names Sister Mary Ambrose Devereux, a former president of Holy Names
College in Oakland, died July 10. She was 92 years of age and had been
a vowed religious for 70 years.
Sister Devereux, who received her master’s and Ph.D. degrees from
St. Louis University, taught science and math at secondary schools in
northern and southern California. She joined the faculty of Holy Names
College as professor of chemistry in 1957 and later served as chair of
the department of physical sciences. She also served as faculty representative
to the administrative council.
In 1965 she was appointed president of the college and served until 1972.
She also held membership on the board of trustees of St. Mary’s
College in Moraga and was the first woman elected to chair that body.
The funeral Mass was held July 14 at the Convent of the Holy Names in
Los Gatos. Burial took place at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Hayward the
following day. Donations in Sister Devereux’s memory may be made
to the Ministry Fund, Sisters of the Holy Names, P.O. Box 907, Los Gatos,
CA 95031.
Father James “Leo”
McCaffrey
Father James “Leo” McCaffrey, whose ministry of service as
a priest began in the Stockton Diocese and continued during his retirement
at two parishes in the Oakland Diocese, died July 4 in Concord at the
age of 84.
The Alameda native, who was a member of the 1942 Stanford National Champion
basketball team, served in the U.S. Marines during World War II. He was
ordained to the priesthood at St. Mary’s Cathedral in San Francisco
in 1958. He served parishes in the San Francisco Archdiocese as well as
Stockton and continued his ministry after his retirement at St. Monica
Parish in Moraga and St. Isidore Parish in Danville where he celebrated
Mass and provided pastoral assistance when needed.
The funeral Mass was held July 11 at St. Monica Church in Moraga. Burial
was in St. Mary’s Cemetery in Oakland. Donations in Father McCaffrey’s
memory may be made to St. Monica Parish, 1001 Camino Pablo, Moraga, 94556.
Sister Marilyn Lee, OP
Sinsinawa Dominican Sister Marilyn Lee, a former teacher at St. Leo School
in Oakland, died July 12 at St. Dominic Villa in Hazel Green, WI. She
was 93 and had been a Dominicans for 74 years.
Born in Arcadia, WI, Sister Lee made her first religious profession in
1931 and her final profession in 1934. She was a primary and intermediate
grade school teacher for 58 years, 24 of which where in California.
She taught at St. Leo School from 1957 – 1963. She also taught in
Illinois, South Dakota, Nebraska, Wisconsin, and in southern California.
The funeral Mass was held in the Queen of the Rosary Chapel at Sinsinawa,
WI on July 18. Burial followed in the Motherhouse Cemetery. Memorial gifts
may be made to the Sinsinawa Dominicans, 585 County Road Z, Sinsinawa,
WI, 53824-9701.
Sister Dominic Marie Tojo,
OP
Mission San Jose Dominican Sister Dominic Marie Tojo, a school librarian
whose ministry also included childcare, died July 17 at the Dominican
Sisters Motherhouse in Fremont. She was 86 and had been a Dominican Sister
for 51 years.
Born in Fukashima-shi, Fukashima-ken, Japan, Sister Tojo worked as a librarian
at Queen of the Holy Rosary College in Fremont from 1991 – 1999
and at elementary and secondary schools in San Francisco, Los Angeles,
Anaheim, and Garden Grove.
She was a childcare worker at St. Mary of the Palms School in Fremont
(1961 – 1962) and at residential schools in Ukiah and San Rafael.
Sister Tojo also served as acristan at the Motherhouse and at several
local convents. For a time she did pastoral work with Japanese Catholics
in San Francisco.
The funeral Mass was held July 22 in the Dominican Sisters chapel in Fremont.
Burial followed in the Dominican Sisters’ cemetery. Memorials may
be made to the Dominican Sisters’ Circles of Caring, 43326 Mission
Blvd., Fremont, CA 94539.
Father John W. Morgan
