Reflections Magazine Issue #50 - Spring 1999 | Page 22

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Remembering Jean Cecile
Jean Cecile Hunt, OP, 1913-1999
“Jean Cecile was a vital part of my life ever
since I timidly knocked on the door of the
Principal’s office at St. Joseph Academy and
asked if I could possibly work to earn a service
scholarship. I not only received the scholarship,
I got something better—a friendship that was to
last nearly 40 years. Jean was committed to the
education and growth of those whom she served
and taught. She encouraged. She supported.
And when necessary, she lovingly ‘nudged’ you toward the best course! She
minced no words when she believed you had messed up. She held you
accountable, but she always finished her lessons with words of love and
encouragement.”
Ann Hughes ‘82, from The Daily Telegram, Feb. 7, 1999

= = =
“Jean’s approach to her work was straightforward. Day after day, year after
year, she would engage students in conversation, asking them to talk about
their talents, their dreams, their fears. From those conversations, students
came to self-knowledge, to self-confidence, to direction—even purpose—in
their lives.
“Jean’s entire life was given to putting into practice the Dominican motto, ‘To
contemplate and give unto others the fruits of your contemplation.’ The fruits
of Jean’s contemplation were simple: She knew with total certainty that each
student is a unique human being, blessed with talents, needing
encouragement and guidance. Jean had a remarkable gift for helping
students believe in themselves.
“In the past few years, I’ve been honored to speak at remembrance services
for Sisters Jeannine Klemm, Pat Hogan, Eileen Rice, Mary Louise Hall, and
now Jean Cecile Hunt. Valiant women, all of them. Remarkable human
beings. Very different people with very different talents. But each of them
gave themselves to a higher calling by the name of Siena Heights. And all of
them profoundly helped my generation of laypersons at Siena come to a
deeper understanding of our place in the Dominican tradition.
“So, my friend, thank you for helping to pass on to us the Dominican heritage
of respecting the dignity and nourishing the talents of all persons. We are
proud of your legacy to us and hope that we are worthy successors to you
and your Adrian Dominican Sisters.”
Bob Gordon, Dean of Graduate Studies
Hawaii, Germaine came to Siena
Heights to earn a biology degree. After
graduation, she taught in Maui before
entering the Adrian Dominican

Congregation in 1962, taking the name
Sister Rosemary and teaching in
Shaker Heights, OH, and Harper
Woods, MI. She left the Congregation

Geraldine Valentin ‘62 of Adrian died
Nov. 4, 1998. She was 76. After
graduation, she taught in the Sand
Creek schools for 10 years, then moved
to Puerto Rico to teach for another eight
years. Returning to Adrian in 1980, she
worked for SER Jobs for Progress,
taught adult education and, for the past
11 years, worked for Family
Counseling and Children’s Services.
She enjoyed gardening, sewing,
reading and traveling. She is survived
by a son and two daughters.
Lorraine Strong ‘63 of Adrian died
Dec. 16, 1998, at the age of 68. She had
worked at Dunmore Funeral Home,
Lenawee County Health Department,
Finch Printing, Faraday’s and St. Joseph
Religious Education. A son and two
daughters survive.
Carl von Essen ‘78 of Goreville, IL,
died Dec. 31, 1998. He was 62. He
worked at Brazeway in Adrian for 17
years and at Penn Aluminum Company
in Illinois for six years. He was an avid
fisherman and enjoyed square dancing.
Preceded in death by his first wife, he
is survived by his wife, Sharon, son,
daughter,
step-daughter
and
grandchildren.
Kay Amstutz ‘82 of Britton died Feb.
16. She was 57. She worked as a lab
technician for many years. She is
survived by her husband, Daniel, three
children and four grandchildren.
Margaret Perschbacher ‘82/MA of
Hillsdale died Feb. 7 at the age of 75.
In mid-career, Margaret earned her
master’s at Siena and became one of the
first registered art therapists in
Michigan. She was a lifetime member
of the American Art Therapists
Association and had served as editor of
the association’s newsletter. Her great
loves included watercolor painting and
sketching. She was a member of the
Northwest Artist Association. She is
survived by four sons and six
grandchildren.
Peter Cordero ‘83 died Jan. 25 at his
home in Clinton. He was 49. He
majored in theatre at Siena Heights and
worked with the Croswell Opera House
and Westgate Theater before joining
Frye Printing Company in Clinton,
where he was employed at the time of
his death.
Melissa Palmer Bellazzini ‘91 died
Oct. 19, 1998, at the age of 29. A native
of Adrian, she received her degree at
Siena Heights in Montessori education
and went on to earn Montessori

certification in Boston. She was a
member of the American Montessori
Society. At the time of her death, she
was self-employed as a day care
teacher in South Elgin, IL, where she
lived with her husband, Mario, who
survives.
Kelly Whitman Parkinson ‘95 died
Feb. 2 as a result of an automobile
accident. She was 25 and is survived
by her husband, Eric, and their twomonth-old son, Jordan Lee. Her father,
Fritz Whitman of Blissfield, and her
mother, Marilyn Kremer of Adrian, a
graduate student at Siena Heights, also
survive. At Siena Heights, Kelly
majored in psychology and ran track
all four years, qualifying for the
National Indoor Track Competition in
the hep ]ۈ]