Sister Ann Louise Reimund

MOUNT St. JOSEPH

Sister Ann Louise Reimund, 60, died Nov. 19, 2009, in Mother Margaret Hall at the Sisters of Charity Motherhouse, Delhi Township, west of Cincinnati.

She was born June 19, 1949, in Lima to Donald W. and Martha Wrocklage Reimund.

Sister Reimund earned a bachelor’s degree in education from the University of Albuquerque, Albuquerque, N.M., in 1972. In addition, she earned a master’s degree in educational administration from the University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, in 1982 and a master’s degree in psychology from New Mexico Highlands University, Las Vegas, N.M., in 1996. She was a Sister of Charity of Cincinnati for 42 years and ministered exclusively in the Archdiocese of Santa Fe, N.M.

She loved and admired the Sisters of Charity as teachers and friends throughout her childhood and adolescence in Lima. Their motto, “the Charity of Christ urges us,” convinced her to join the Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati.

She taught the primary grades at San Felipe (Old Town), Albuquerque, from 1972 until 1979, when she became elementary school principal there. From 1982 until 1985, she taught junior high school pupils at St. Mary School in Albuquerque. She returned to San Felipe in 1985 as an elementary school teacher.

She served at Cottonwood Treatment Center in Los Lunas, N.M., from 1988 until 1991 in several capacities, including counselor. She returned to the ministry of teaching at Our Lady of the Assumption in Albuquerque for one year in 1991. During the years 1992 through 1994, she studied at New Mexico Highlands University.

As a licensed psychotherapist, she opened the West Side office of the Samaritan Counseling Center in Rio Rancho in 1998. At that time, the Samaritan Counseling Center was the only nationally accredited interfaith, professional counseling center in New Mexico. She specialized in working with the issues of sexual abuse, trauma and depression in individuals of all ages. She also developed the Innerwork Psychotherapy and Counseling office with Grand Rapids Dominican Sister Eva Silva. Innerwork Psychotherapy and Counseling is a small outpatient mental health private practice focusing on the integration of spirituality and psychotherapy.

Many Sisters of Charity remember her, including Sister Jeannette Cochran, who said, “Ann understood the human condition with such clarity that she gave us her unique sense of humor, which lightened even the most difficult situations. Her sense of determination and commitment was unmatched throughout her life until she took her last breath.”

“Ann has been a blessing to me my entire Sister of Charity life. God blessed us with a beautiful and wonderful friendship that surely lasts beyond the grave. She died as she lived — a truly compassionate and loving presence in our world,” remembered her dear friend, Sister Peggy Deneweth.

Sister Linda Chavez said, “Albuquerque has lost a beautiful religious woman who shared so much talent and service. She was generous in offering her beautiful voice to the African-American choir and the Archdiocesan Spanish choir. These groups will miss her as will her professional partner in counseling, Sister Eva Silva, and their clients and friends. I am grateful for the years we shared living together.”

Survivors include two sisters, Mary Baker and Jane Corso; two brothers, Thomas Reimund and Daniel Reimund, as well as nieces and nephews.

A Mass of Christian Burial will begin at 3 p.m. Friday in the Immaculate Conception Chapel at the Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati Motherhouse. Burial will be in the Sisters of Charity cemetery.

A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Dec. 6 at San Felipe de Neri Church, Old Town, Albuquerque, N.M.

Friends may call from 2 to 3 p.m. Friday in the Heritage Room at the motherhouse.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati Retirement Fund, 5900 Delhi Road, Mount St. Joseph, OH 45051.