Sr. Mary Theresa Ciemerych, CSSF, of Hamtramck, died July 23 in St. Joseph Care Center, Livonia. She was 87 and in religious life for 69 years.

Born Dec. 3, 1926, the fifth of seven children of Stanley and Helen (Krolikowski) Ciemerych, she was baptized and confirmed at St. Florian Church, Hamtramck, and attended both the parish grade and high schools, graduating in 1945.

She was accepted into the Felician Congregation Aug. 15, 1945, and invested Aug. 12, 1946. She received the name Sr. Marianelle, later changed to Sr. Mary Theresa. First profession of vows was in 1947 and final profession in 1953.

Sr. Ciemerych earned a bachelor’s degree from Madonna College (1947) and a master’s in sociology from the University of Detroit. She ministered for 44 years at schools around Michigan, including, St. Louis the King, Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Corpus Christi, St. Albertus, Resurrection and St. Ignatius, Detroit; St. Stanislaus Schools in Bay City, Ludington and Jackson; Holy Rosary, Cedar; St. Francis, Flint; St. Michael and St. Edith, Livonia; St. Florian and Our Lady Queen of Apostles, Hamtramck; St. Thecla, Mt. Clemens; Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, Wyandotte; and St. Valentine, Redford.

For 22 years, Sr. Ciemerych was a principal in Ludington, Detroit, Wyandotte and Livonia.

In 1992, she was appointed administrator of the Senior Clergy Village for retired priests, where she served for 15 years. In 2009, she retired to St. Joseph Care Center. Sr. Ciemerych is survived by her sisters Ann Lankiewicz, Virginia Zientek and Dolores Kowalski and many nieces and nephews.

Mass of Resurrection was celebrated by Fr. Walter Ptak in the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Chapel of the Felician Sisters Convent in Livonia. Burial is in Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, Southfield.