Members of three religious orders mourned
Teacher taught lessons of faith, lessons of hope

The Missionary Sisters of Jesus of Nazareth have lost a long-time educator known widely in the Powell River area and beyond. Sister Michelina Baldacchino died Nov. 22.

Sister Michelina was born in Zejtun, Malta, in 1940. She joined the order in 1959 and came in 1964 to Canada, where she took her final vows in 1965.

Sister Michelina had taught at Assumption School for the past 40 years and had recently retired. She is survived by a brother Carmelo, sister-in-law Antoinette, nieces, nephews, and the Community of the Missionary Sisters of Jesus of Nazareth in Malta.

Her funeral Mass was offered Nov. 28 in Assumption Church. Interment took place in St. Gregory's Cemetery in Zejtun, Malta.

The sisters requested that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to: The Missionary Sisters of Charity (Mother Teresa's Order), 2475 W. 48th Ave., Vancouver, V5S 1G5.

The following tribute to Sister Michelina appeared in Powell River Living Magazine. It was written by publisher Isabelle Southcott.

Sister Michelina left this earth on November 22. I'm still in shock.

Sister wasn't supposed to die; she'd had an operation and made it through.

I can't stop crying as I think about her. Sister was such a wonderful, kind person, so kind to children and animals. Her little dog Princess adored her. The children she taught adored her.

Both my boys were lucky enough to have Sister as their teacher. Yes, she was strict, but she was kind and she was fair. My oldest son wasn't too keen on Sister at first. She made him work too hard!

I remember a conversation Matthew, Sister, and I had soon after Matthew started Grade 3. Oh, was he cross. He was sulking at his desk and I asked him what was wrong. Sister was standing beside me when Matthew said he didn't like Grade 3 and he didn't like Sister. I was horrified, but Sister took it in her stride and explained that Matthew didn't want to do the work he was assigned.

Matthew and Sister struggled a bit in the beginning, but after a few months Matthew came around. By Christmas that year, he loved her and always gave her hugs.

Sister was a born teacher. She let us bring Matthew's favourite chicken to school for show and tell one day. I remember Matthew proudly standing at the front of the class with his chicken telling his classmates all about chickens. He failed to mention that I'd run helter-skelter around the chicken yard in the pouring rain and skidded in the slick mud in order to catch his blasted chicken!

I still have a picture of Sister holding the chicken under the crook of her arm explaining that although Matthew said his chicken laid 600 eggs a year that was impossible, and it was probably closer to 240 or so.

People like Sister, who give of themselves, never truly die. Their legacy remains with us on earth for all time. Sister touched so many lives and helped shape the futures of hundreds of students. Not only did she teach them their lessons but she taught them lessons of faith and lessons of hope.