Sr. Barbara Jean Pelak, OP, died Oct. 15 at Lourdes Health Care Center in Waterford. She was 66 and in her 42nd year in the Dominican Sisters of Oxford, now known as the Dominican Sisters of Peace.

Sr. Pelak was born Feb. 18, 1950, to John and Angeline Bierzynski Pelak in Detroit. She earned degrees from Oakland Community College and served as a secretary in the Archdiocese of Detroit’s central offices and at SS. Cyril and Methodius Seminary in Orchard Lake. Since 1989, most of her ministry was as a Christian service coordinator at St. Joseph Parish in Lake Orion, St. Daniel Parish in Clarkston, St. Patrick Parish in Wyandotte and Holy Innocents-St. Barnabas Parish in Roseville.

Sr. Pelak is survived by her sisters, Joann McHarg, Chris Silisavage, Lorraine Pelak, and Kathy Reggio; and her brothers, Edward, Joe, John, Daniel, Jim, and Michael and Phil. She was preceded in death by her parents, a brother, Tom, and a sister, Carol Novak.

Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated Oct. 17, with burial in the Congregation cemetery.