Winter 2006, Volume 49, Number 4

With a Song in her Heart and Creativity in her Hands
SISTER ALICE MARIE CRILLY
Shared Music and Wonder

As she entered God’s courts on October 2, 2006, Sister Alice Marie Crilly was surely singing praise and giving thanks to God as she had done throughout her life.

Sister Alice Marie was born on January 4, 1924, the daughter of Hugh and Florence Crilly of Anthon, IA. She entered the Sisters of the Presentation on September 6, 1942, and professed her perpetual vows on May 3, 1948.

With a song in her heart, Sister Alice Marie loved sharing music with others. She received a bachelor of music degree in piano from Loras College in Dubuque, and studied voice at the American Conservatory of Music in Chicago, IL. Her music-teaching career spanned 43 years in Catholic schools and parishes in Elkader, Farley, Mason City, Algona, Lawler, Clare, Storm Lake, Sheldon, Bankston and Key West, IA; Timber Lake, SD, and Monticello, MN. She taught piano, organ, violin and classroom music to grades K-8, gave private music lessons and enjoyed working with parish choirs and training cantors.

“St. Joseph School in Mason City and the infamous footbridge were happy memories of Sister Alice Marie’s early teaching career. I wouldn’t be surprised if the entire span of the bridge still echoes her vocal rendition of ‘Sioux City Sue,’” reminisces Sister Eugene Goss.

Alice Marie loved to laugh and sing. She had a beautiful singing voice. In the 1950s Sisters Sheila Kane and Alice Marie traveled the train regularly to the American Conservatory in Chicago to take voice lessons. “All through her life, she used her grand singing voice to praise God, delight the hearts of family and friends and inspire students and parishioners,” remembers Sister Sheila.

“Whenever Sister Alice Marie would sing the ‘Ave Maria’ it was like listening to angels sing,” says Sister Karen Jasper.

“As a young sister, Sister Alice Marie would play violin duets with Sister Henrietta Teff,” recalls Sister Anthony Rottinghaus. “Sister also enjoyed playing the trumpet. She had the embouchure or technique to play the trumpet well.”

The music of movies and stage productions were familiar to Sister Alice Marie. “We would meet each other and together we would sing, ‘Alice In Wonderland,’” recalls Sister Francesca Presseller, “and Alice would often mimic the Queen and say, ‘Off with your head!’”

Life’s memories include the hard things, such as facing tragedy. In 1963, Sister Alice Marie was in Lawler, IA, remembers Sister Dolores Moes who was also in Lawler. “On December 19, Alice went into the hospital. Earlier that day, the students moved all her music books to the church so that they would have the music for Christmas rehearsals. On December 20, the janitor came over to tell Father, who was saying Mass, that the school was on fire. Everyone ran out of church in 20 below zero weather, to see the school in flames. People watched as Alice’s piano on the second floor fell through onto the first floor and burst into flames. The only thing saved from the school fire was Sister Alice Marie’s music, safely stored in the choir loft in the church.”

When Sister Alice Marie was in Timber Lake, SD, fire also struck. Because the convent was in the school, the sisters lost both school and convent and Sister Alice Marie lost her treasured violin.

Sister Alice Marie was known as a “crafty lady.” When she retired to Mount Loretto in 1989, she found herself teaching crafts, knitting and crocheting to the sisters who lived there. Soon everyone was making blankets, socks, washcloths, Christmas trees with hangers and many other novel things. Sister Alice Marie was a meticulous seamstress. When she was in the novitiate, she was designated to sew the veils for the other novices. All through her life she crocheted beautiful doilies.

When Sister Alice Marie entered religious life she had deep affection for her aunt,
Sister Pauline O’Connor, also a Presentation sister. She called her “Auntie Pauline.” Throughout her life, another Pauline, her sister Pauline Sorensen, was her friend and confidant.

With Sister Alice Marie we pray from Psalm 84, “My soul longed and even yearned for the courts of the Lord; My heart and my flesh sing for joy to the living God.”