Sister Margarita (aka Sister Frances Louise) Sánchez entered eternal life on January 20, 2017 at the age of 92. She was one of six children born to Telésforo and Manuela (Gamez) Sánchez.  Sister Margarita was born October 12, 1924 in Houston, Texas.  She professed first vows on June 22, 1946 and was given the religious name Sister Frances Louise.  She began her ministerial life at Our Lady of the Lake College in 1946.

Sister Margarita was a strict yet fair teacher, beloved by her students. She had a keen ability to diffuse student pranks.  She taught Spanish and religious education for 35 years.  In 1994 she began her work with refugees in La Posada Providencia Shelter in San Benito, Texas and Proyecto Hospitalidad Shelter in San Antonio, Texas.  Her primary goal was to create a safe, warm and loving home environment for the refugees.  Secondly, she taught them how to cook, keep house, garden, turn food scraps into compost and how to speak English.  And last but not least, she taught them how to pray and organized prayer services for these shelters.

Sister Margarita furthered the mission of Jesus through her initial work "behind the scenes," and ministry in schools, parishes, and shelters. During her final years, her personal and daily prayers for her caregivers, fellow Sisters, family and friends surely led to answered prayers.  May she rest in peace and enjoy the fruits of her labor.

She is survived by numerous nieces, nephews, and their families and all her other Sisters of Divine Providence. She was preceded in death by her parents Telésforo and Manuela Sánchez and siblings: Manuel, Martin and Miguel Sánchez, Sister María Elena Sánchez, MCDP, and María Hernández.

FUNERAL SERVICES

The Rosary is Sunday, January 22, 2017 at 4:30 p.m. and the Wake is at 6:30 p.m. A Mass of Resurrection will be Monday, January 23, 2017 at 10:30 a.m. All services will be in Annunciation Chapel at Our Lady of the Lake Convent Center.

MEMORIAL CONTRIBUTIONS

In lieu of flowers, you may wish to make a memorial contribution to the Sisters of Divine Providence, 515 S.W. 24th Street, San Antonio, TX 78207-4619.