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Sr. Debrecht was born Nov. 20, 1922, to Aloys and Leona Schneider Debrecht in St. Peters, Mo. She had been a Maryknoll Sister for 73 years.
She attended St. Peter’s High School, St. Charles, Mo., graduating in 1940. She entered Maryknoll Sisters at their Center, Maryknoll from St. Peter’s Parish Dec. 8, 1940. Her first profession of vows was made at the Maryknoll Sisters Motherhouse, Maryknoll June 30, 1943, and her final vows on the same day, 1946 also at the Motherhouse. She was a graduate of St. Louis University, St. Louis, Mo., with an M.A. in geography, and Maryknoll Teachers College, Maryknoll with a bachelors in education, she spent her entire missionary life in Hong Kong, where she was a teacher and principal from 1946 to 2006. Sr. Debrecht studied Cantonese in Hong Kong and Macau as well as Mandarin at St. Louis University, Mo. from 1978 to 79. She worked at the Maryknoll Sisters Center in its Promotion and Mission Education office from 1985 to 1989, she returned to Hong Kong, where she served in Regional Service Team Administration from 1989 to 1992, worked in communications for Union of Catholic Asian News (UCAN) from 1989 to 1993, and tutored English in Kwun Tong and Kowloon Tong, from 1993 to 2012.
Sr. Debrecht is survived by her sister, Virginia Debrecht of St. Charles, Mo.; a niece and two nephews. She was predeceased by her parents; brother, Glennon Debrecht; and sister, Mildred Ochs. A Vesper service will be held for Sr. Debrecht Monday, March 3 at 4:15 p.m., in Annunciation Chapel, Maryknoll Sisters Center, Ossining, followed by a Memorial Mass at 11 a.m. Tuesday, March 4.
For more information, please visit: www.dorseyfuneral.com
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