In Memoriam-Sr. Jean Orsuto
Sister Jean Orsuto, H.M., the former Lauretta Jean Orsuto and formerly Sister M. Donald, died Sunday, April 14, 2024, at Mercy Health St. Elizabeth Youngstown Hospital.
Date of Birth: June 3, 1945│ Age: 78
Place of Birth: Erwin, North Carolina
Sister Jean entered the HM Community in 1963 and ministered in health care as a nurse for 42 years. She began her ministry in the Villa Maria Infirmary and then served at St. Joseph Hospital in Lorain. Sr. Jean passed on her knowledge to the next generation of nurses as an instructor at the former St. Elizabeth Hospital School of Nursing, Youngstown. She was the director of the Women and Children Nursing Service at St. Elizabeth Health Center, Youngstown and later she served with comparable programs at St. Mary/Duluth Clinic Health System, Duluth, Minn. and Fairfield Mercy Hospital, Fairfield, Ohio.
For 20 years Sr. Jean dedicated herself to serving the poor in Trumbull County as executive director of Emmanuel Community Care Center in Girard, Ohio, a program of Humility of Mary Housing. She felt it was her privilege to minister to those who were vulnerable, and she was recognized for this work in 2023 when she received a Voice of Hope award from Catholic Charities of the Youngstown diocese.
Sr. Jean gave board service to a number of organizations including serving as vice chair of the board of Catholic Health Partners [CHP]. Later she chaired the board of CHP’s public juridic person, which was called Partners in Catholic Health Ministries.
Following her retirement from Emmanual last year she offered her caring attention to her HM Sisters as a volunteer with the Villa Transportation Office. She was celebrating her 60th Jubilee as a Sister of the Humility of Mary at the time of her death.
She is survived by her sisters in the Humility of Mary Congregation; her sister Donna Orsuto; and her cousins and their families. She was preceded in death by her parents, Donald and Maggie (Roberts) Orsuto; her sister Arlene Jacobs; and her brother George Roberts.
Memorial contributions may be sent to the Sister Jean Orsuto, HM Memorial Emergency Fund at Emmanuel Community Care Center, 2 North State Street, Girard, OH 44420.
Prayer of Remembrance: Thursday, May 9, 2024 at 7 p.m. [via Zoom] Please email info@humilityofmary.org to obtain the Zoom link.
