Sister Mary Bryan SND

SISTER MARY BRYAN GABEL, SND

“She who is a friend is always a friend” (Prv. 17:19). What an apt description for Sister Mary Bryan Gabel who made everyone her friend.

Born Margaret Anne on June 2, 1938, in Fremont, Ohio, she began her life of 87 years before her death on April 23 at Notre Dame Village Assisted Living in Chardon, Ohio, in her 67th year of religious profession with the Sisters of Notre Dame.

With her degrees from Mary Manse College and Bowling Green University, she spent over 50 years in elementary education. She ministered in schools of Ohio and Florida as teacher 16 years and/or principal 19 years. In Ohio she ministered in Toledo at St. Mary, Christ the King, Sacred Heart, St. Ann, as well as Maumee, Marygrove, Leipsic and Bellevue. From 1981-1988 she was principal at Holy Rosary School in Jacksonville, Florida. Sister became a small-group teacher at Mary Immaculate School on the Provincial Center Toledo property from 1992-2009.

Sister also did much service for the Sisters while living at the Provincial Center. She took much pride in overseeing the car fleet and providing transportation. In January 2012 to January 2013 Sister returned to her hometown to take care of her mother before returning to ministry as a tutor in St. Mary School in Leipsic and teacher aid in Sandusky and Port Clinton. During the last decade of her life Sister performed community service at Notre Dame Academy and the SND Center in Whitehouse before becoming a resident at the Ursuline Center in late 2019. Then in April 2021 Sister took up residence at ND Village in Chardon, Ohio. No matter where she lived or how she ministered, she considered everyone her friend and welcomed them into her life.

Making everyone her friend was easy through her playing piano, ukelele, and accordion. She had the gift of spontaneously playing without sheet music, while she and those around her burst into old favorites. It’s easy to imagine Sister living in heavenly bliss singing Psalm 71:22, “So will I give thanks with music on the lyre for your faithfulness, O my God,” as she prays for her many relatives and friends who will miss her spontaneity and warm friendship.

Preceding her in death are her parents Ambrose and Henrietta (Partee) Gabel and sister Barbara (Richard) Schmidt. Surviving is her sister Mary Jane Schroeder and many nieces and nephews along with the Sisters of Notre Dame.

Visitation will be on Thursday, April 30 at the SND Center at 5900 Davis Road, Whitehouse, Ohio. Memories will be shared at 2:00, the eulogy read at 4:15, followed by the funeral Mass at 4:30. Burial will be at Resurrection Cemetery at 9:30 a.m. on Friday, May 1. Arrangements are entrusted to the Urbanski Funeral Home, A Life Celebration Home, 5055 Secor Road, Toledo. Tributes may be made to the Sisters of Notre Dame at 1656 Henthorne Drive, Suite 200, Maumee, OH 43537.