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July 28, 2010

Graf, Sister Mary Mark, OSB

85; Sellersburg native

Funeral services for Sister Mary Mark Graf, OSB, 85, of Monastery Immaculate Conception in Ferdinand, will be at 4:30 p.m. EST, Thursday, July 29, in the Monastery Church, Sister of St. Benedict of Ferdinand. She died Monday, July 26, 2010, at St. Mary’s Hospital in Evansville.

She was born in Sellersburg on Aug.19, 1924, to Albert and Anna Eckert Graf. She entered the Sisters of St. Benedict of Ferdinand from St. Joseph Parish, Sellersburg, in 1941. She made her first profession of vows in 1943 and her final profession in 1946. She began her 55-year ministry in education in 1946. She taught at St. Benedict’s and St. Joseph’s, Evansville; Christ the King, Indianapolis; St. Anthony, Indiana; and also in Memphis, Tenn. In 1958, she founded Marian Day School in Evansville for children with special needs, and served as director and principal for 11 years. In 1969, she co-founded and directed Madonna Day School, now known as Madonna Learning Center, a special education facility in Memphis, Tenn. She was the recipient of the 2002 Educator of the Year Award given by the University of Memphis for her 32 years of leadership in special education in the Memphis area. She returned to Ferdinand in 2001, and assisted in the Mission Advancement Office and supportive services at the monastery.  She was the subject of a book about her life and ministry, “Together We Can,” authored by Donna Glenn and published in 2001.

Survivors include her stepmother, Dorothy Graf McDaniel, of Memphis; a brother, Ralph Graf, of Floyds Knobs; four half-brothers, Elmer and Alvin Graf,  of Memphis and Cletus and Larry Graf, of Sellersburg; two half-sisters, Sister Dorothy Graf, a Sister of St. Benedict of Ferdinand and Alice Graf, of Sellersburg; and members of her religious community.

In addition to her parents, she was also preceded in death by her brothers, Mark and James Graf; a sister, Martha Rake; and a half brother, Denny Graf.

Visitation will be today from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., EDT, with a wake service at 7 p.m. and on Thursday from 1 to 4 p.m.,  at Monastery Immaculate Conception, Ferdinand,  

Contributions in memory of Sister Mary Mark Graf may be made to the Sisters of St. Benedict of Ferdinand, 802 E. 10th Street, Ferdinand, IN, 47532.

Becher Funeral Home in Ferdinand and Sisters of St. Benedict of Ferdinand are in charge of arrangements.

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