Norene Drewicz

Norene L. Drewicz was born on July 31, 1940 to Walter and Helen Drewicz. She passed away at Rosary Care Center on September 25, 2021 at the age of 81.

Norene attended St. Clare Academy and was in the first graduating class of Lourdes Junior College. She went on to get her Bachelor of Arts degree at Mary Manse College and her Masters of Education degree at BGSU. She was a Sister of St. Francis, making her final vows in 1960. Norene's gifts and talents are too numerous to mention, along with her many experiences in which she shared her gifts so generously. Her smile and her love for others was so evident with everyone she met. In fact, she never met a stranger – everyone was her friend. And, all her friends were "her angels." She loved music, gardening, reading, travels, crafts, pets and astrology. Norene taught 45 years in elementary schools and special education in Minnesota, Michigan and Ohio. She has been a member and volunteered for the Lourdes University Auxiliary, Sisters of St. Francis Associate Program, Toledo Day Nursery, Toledo Federation of Teachers, Toledo Arts Commission, Toledo Symphony League, Toledo Opera Guild, March of Dimes, Ability Center Auxiliary, Flower Hospital Auxiliary, Toledo Museum of Art, Make-A-Wish, LPGA Marathon Classic, WGTE and countless other organizations. She was skilled in calligraphy, sang with the Toledo Opera Chorus and the Perrysburg Suburban Singers. For several summers, she also taught Native American children at the Bay Mill Reservation on Sugar Island near Sault St. Marie, Michigan, where she built a log cabin. Norene touched thousands of lives – from her students, to her countless friends, to her fellow Sisters and teachers. She often said "count only the rainbows in your life, not the thunderstorms."

And, she lived God's love in the everyday things of her life.

Norene is survived by her nephews, Bill Miller, Jeffrey [Whitey] Taylor, Tony Drewicz, Matthew Taylor; nieces, Nancy Hamilton, Becky Stidham, and Dawn Robinson; and special friend, Mary Arquette. She was preceded in death by her parents, Walter and Helen [Bialecki] Drewicz; sisters, JoAnn Hamper, Daphne Taylor, Judy Leonard; and brother, Anthony Drewicz.

In lieu of flowers, please consider gifts in memory of Norene to The Sisters of St. Francis, 6832 Convent Blvd., Sylvania, Ohio 43560.

Visitation will be at the Queen of Peace Chapel, on the campus of Lourdes University, on Friday, October 15th at 9:00 a.m., followed by a funeral Mass at 10:00 a.m. Please wear masks. A luncheon will follow.

www.wisniewskifuneral.net

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