Sr. Duchesne Maxwell, OP

Sister Duchesne Maxwell, OP, a member of the Dominican Sisters of Sinsinawa, passed away on August 2, 2025. She was born on November 27, 1932, and professed her vows in 1953. A lifelong servant of faith and education, she dedicated her ministry to teaching, pastoral care, and leadership within the Church and her religious community.

Sister Duchesne earned a Bachelor of Arts in English and a Master of Arts in Library Science from Rosary College (now Dominican University) in River Forest, IL. Her early ministry included teaching at St. Thomas More School in Chicago, IL; St. James School in Kenosha, WI; and Blessed Sacrament School in Sioux City, IA.

She served as librarian at Newman High School in Wausau, WI, and ministered as both teacher and librarian at Aquin Central Catholic High School in Freeport, IL. Her leadership continued as assistant principal and then principal at Central Catholic High School in Bloomington, IL, and as assistant principal at Dominican High School in Whitefish Bay, WI.

Sister Duchesne was called to serve her religious community as a member of the leadership council of the Sinsinawa Dominican Congregation and later as prioress at St. Dominic Villa in Dubuque, IA. She continued her commitment to Catholic education as assistant administrator at Queen of Peace High School in Burbank, IL.

Expanding her ministry into pastoral care, Sister Duchesne served as a chaplain at Children’s Hospital UNMC-Clark and at Immanuel Medical Center, both in Omaha, NE. She later became director of pastoral care at Catholic Eldercare in Minneapolis and coordinator of the Dominican Center in Spokane, WA. She returned to Omaha to serve as a chaplain at Bergan Mercy Hospital.

Sister Duchesne was known for her deep compassion to everyone she met.

A Memorial Service will be held on Tuesday, August 12, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. at St. Clara Chapel, Sinsinawa, and will be livestreamed at www.sinsinawa.org/live.