Second career really computes for Sister, 78

Nor could she have imagined in her wildest dreams that her duties would include designing computer presentations on such software as Excel, Power Point and Microsoft Word.

But for Sister Mary Nestor Prevost, 78, administrative assistant in the hospital's Geriatric Extended Care unit, it is a new career she loves.

Change in career

Sister Mary Nestor has a brother, Rev. Norman Prevost, who is a Graymoor Franciscan priest, and a sister, Sister Mary Kathleen Prevost, who is a Graymoor Franciscan sister.

"My sister and brother always wanted to enter religious life. I wanted to be a 'little mother,' but my sister 'prayed' me into the convent," Sister Mary said with a chuckle.

It all began in Montreal for the children of an Irish mother and Canadian French father when they would read the Graymoor magazine their mother subscribed to. Sister Mary recalls advertisements inviting young women and men to join the Graymoors and become missionaries.

Early years

"During those years, I often saw as many as 500 students in a week's time," she told The Evangelist. "They were the children of the farmworkers that moved into and out of the area. The children were very well-behaved. It was such a joy to work with them."

Sister Mary taught grades K through high school as well as the parents. In addition to migrant workers, she worked in the Native American missions (the Ute tribe of the Southwest).

To New York

"My sister offered to take care of my parents," Sister Mary said. "I offered to work to support us while she was doing so. We agreed to move in with our parents, and suddenly the problem of caring for them was solved."

Sister Mary got a job with Kaiser Permanente, designing the medical records department. She worked there for nine years as her parents became more dependent. Finally, at 97, her mother passed away; just a little over a year later, her 93-year-old father died.

"My sister took so much better care of our parents than I ever could have done," said Sister Mary. "God had each one of us doing the thing we did best."

Back to school

"While I was at school, I became an intern at the Veteran's Hospital," she explained. "After graduation, they decided to keep me on."

Sister Mary designs brochures and overhead transparencies, and performs other computer work for her department. She and her sister share an apartment and often reminisce about their many years together as teachers.

As for going back to school and still working past retirement age, Sister Mary said: "I want to continue to keep busy and learn new things."

(09-20-01) [[In-content Ad]]