“She reaches out her hands to the poor, and extends her arms to the needy.”
-Proverbs 31:20
Sister Therese Zimmerman, 91, a Sister of Charity of Leavenworth (SCL) for 73 years, died on June 19, 2024. She entered religious life on August 18, 1950, and took the name Sister Therese Martin when she received her habit.
Born Anna Lee in Selden, Kansas, she was the seventh of nine children of Frederick L. and Margaret (née Geisinger) Zimmerman. The family moved to Denver, Colorado, where she first met the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth while volunteering at St. Joseph’s Hospital. After seeing the Sisters’ joyful, holy work, she decided to pursue a religious vocation.
Trained as a nurse, Sister Therese worked as a director of nursing in hospitals in Colorado, Kansas, and Montana. She later returned to school to earn a master’s degree in psychology. She maintained a private clinical psychology practice in California. She also ministered as a hospital chaplain in San Francisco, Oakland, and Santa Monica, California. She retired to the SCL Mother House in Leavenworth.
Sister Therese will be remembered for her generosity, intelligence, confidence, and fastidiousness. Upon her retirement to the SCL Mother House, her generous nature shone through as she always volunteered to help Sisters in need, often driving them to appointments or the store.
Travel was a favorite pastime; she visited all 50 states, Canada, Peru, and Ecuador. She loved to explore and hiked most, if not all, of the Bear Tooth Mountains in Montana with fellow SCLs.
Her dear friend, Sister Mary Jo Anzik, recalls Sister Therese as well-rounded. She loved to read, especially the New Yorker magazine. She often sent friends and family clippings of interesting articles, complete with her comments in the margins. She also loved music, especially opera, but came to love country music while ministering in Montana.
Preceding Sister Therese in death were her parents, sisters Pauline and Paulette, and brothers Raymond, Edwin, George, Frederick, and Joseph. Survivors include sister and brother-in-law, Mary and Scott Hall, sister-in-law Ann Zimmerman, many nieces and nephews, and the SCL Community.
Click here to view a short video honoring the life of Sister Therese.
