Rein obituaries/memorials, Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ************************************************ Name, date of obit, date submitted, submitted for the USGenWeb Archives by: Rein, Barbara Louise (Sister Mary Conrad) d. 28 Mar 1999 Mar, 2001 Don Johnson *************************************************************************** Memorial, Barbara Louise Rein (Sister Mary Conrad), Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana Submitted with permission of Dorothy Dawes, O.P. -- dmdawes@accesscom.net 580 Broadway, New Orleans, LA 70118, 504-861-8155, FAX 504-861-8718 or 865-8079 photos at http://www.dominican-sisters.net/stmarys/memoria/rein.htm In Memory of [Sr. M. Conrad Rein] Dominican Sisters Congregation of St. Mary New Orleans Barbara Louise Rein July 20, 1911 - March 28, 1999 Barbara was the third child of Alsatian farm people, growing up with her older sister and four brothers in Gentilly, then a rural area on the outskirts of New Orleans. The dynamic, saintly, founding pastor of St. Leo the Great, Father Vincent Prats, taught her in his first catechism class, preparing her for confirmation in 1922. Barbara finished Gentilly Public School in 1924. She welcomed the Dominican sisters and helped them get started in their new school in 1925; conditions were primitive. She was not yet sixteen when she completed John McDonogh High School. Her niece, Vicki Rein, recalls hearing that when young Barbara would sit on the veranda in the evenings, boys would flock to the porch to see her. Her brothers worked as painter, decorating contractor, restorer of homes, and landscape gardener. In 1928 she was received into the parish sodality, a signal honor. Always an energetic go-getter, her talent for piano, song and dance helped in fund-raising activities for the struggling new parish. Many years later, Sister Mary de Lourdes recalled seeing a photo on the wall in Father Prats' office of a dancing Barbara Rein in sailor-girl costume. After a half-year at Soule Business College she obtained a secretary's certificate, and went to work in "the business world." On July 16, 1932 she wrote Mother M. Catherine Delaney, the new mother general, "During the past four years I have been thinking, and have finally decided that I would like very much to join the Order of St. Dominic." She entered August 4, with the largest group of postulants in the seventy-two year history of St. Mary's. At twenty-one she was one of the older ones, a proud "product of the public schools," with work experience. Under the guidance of young Mother Mary Dominic Ray, Barbara plunged into the training, and readily made friends with the others. She became Sister Mary Conrad, named for her father (and brother), and was one of fourteen professing vows in June, 1934. As a postulant, she was assigned to teach first grade and cook for the summer session at Our Lady of Lourdes. Her early years of teaching were on the primary level, with extra duties: organist (St. Peter's, Reserve, and St. John's), altar boys, librarian (Independence), catechist to public school pupils. At St. Peter's in 1934 among her 83 (later divided) first-graders was J. A. Luminais, who became a priest. "Father J.A." preached at her funeral, as she planned twenty years in advance. In 1942 after six years of Saturday and summer classes she won her B.A. from St. Mary's Dominican College. In 1948 with novitiate companion Sr. M. de Lourdes she earned her M.A. from Peabody College for Teachers, in Nashville. After an illustrious career as teacher and principal in elementary schools, she was assigned to St. Mary's Dominican College where she taught others to teach, with great success, as her graduates testify. She chaired the Department of Education, always one of Dominican's major strengths. After fifteen years in the college she retired gracefully, moving with new energy back into the schools, first to St. Clare's, Waveland, Mississippi, and then to Lizana, MS, Public School as principal, facilitating the withdrawal of the sisters in 1971. After a few months rest, she requested summer study at Notre Dame Seminary: "It's good for my spiritual life." Traveling to Europe in summer, 1972, she connected with Alsatian cousins, tracing her Rein ancestral roots, for which her cousin, Judge Joseph Tieman, paid tribute at her death. In 1972 she was back at Holy Ghost, Hammond, teaching eighth grade, and religion to public school students, moderating girls' basketball, cheerleaders, and pep squad. The next year she specialized in reading, her focus through her years of teaching. Back to Dominican College to direct the Reading Center in summer '74. In 1975 she taught at her beloved St. Peter's, Reserve, and then, amazingly, pioneered Rosaryville as a retreat center, commandeering volunteer help from the entire area, tapping all her old friends. She taught religion at St. Joan of Arc, LaPlace, in 1979 where her students won in the Bible Competition at Notre Dame Seminary. "Aunt Connie" (from when her first niece was born in 1936), always a winner, was a teacher's teacher. She was talented, and worked hard. The combination was powerful. Her greatest power was her love for people, and her joyous optimism. She saw the good in others; the good radiated from her own great heart. ***************************************************************************