In Loving Memory...

Sister M. Eugene, CSC
(Eugenia C. Connor)
Birth: July 6, 1911
Profession: January 6, 1935
Death: November 28, 2004

Sister M. Eugene, Eugenia Connor, was born on July 6, 1911, in Los Angeles, California, to Hugh James Connor and Eva Childs Connor. Her father was originally from Ticonderoga, New York, and her mother from Boston, Massachusetts. Eugenia was the third of four children. Her brothers, Earl and James, and her sister, Lucille, precede her in death. Her nephew, David Anderson, who is Lucille’s son, lives in Hawaii and visited Sister once or twice a year. She also had several cousins with whom she kept in contact.

Eugenia was born into a musical family. Her mother was an accomplished violinist; her Aunt Gertie, a harpist; her Aunt Grace, a pianist; and her grandfather, a tenor. At the age of 3, it was discovered that Eugenia was gifted with perfect pitch. One day she was enjoying an automobile ride with her mother when they stopped to let a train go by. As the train whistle blew, Eugenia said to no one in particular, “That is A-flat.” Her mother was astounded, and when they arrived home she made Eugenia stand across the room as she played different musical notes on the piano. Eugenia identified all of the notes correctly. Her mother immediately began teaching her piano, and soon she was taking lessons from a professional musician.

Eugenia had her first public recital when she was 5 years old. For that recital she had memorized a 16-measure piece titled “Drink to Me Only With Thine Eyes” and composed another piece, “Swimming in the Ocean.” When she was 4 or 5 years old, her original musical score was published in the Musical Monitor in Los Angeles.

When Eugenia was old enough, she attended Saint Agnes Parish School in Los Angeles. While in the third grade, she decided she would be a Sister of the Holy Cross. She graduated from Catholic Girls High School and attended Immaculate Heart College in Los Angeles for one semester. She worked at the Aloha Candy Company, her father’s business, for two years before entering Holy Cross on June 25, 1932.

One of her teachers at Catholic Girls High School, Sister M. William (Guckian), was an inspiration to her. Sister William helped Eugenia get ready to come to Saint Mary’s to enter the novitiate.

Eugenia earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in music from Mount Saint Mary’s College in Westwood, California. Along the way, she had classes at Saint Mary’s College and Saint Mary of the Wasatch in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Sister Eugene made first vows in January 1935 and went to Saint Teresa’s Academy in Boise, Idaho, to teach. She gave piano, harp and organ lessons, taught general music classes, and trained girls’ choruses, mixed choruses and choirs. Her music career would eventually cover 56 years, including assignments in California, Utah and Nevada.

By 1973 she was ready for a moderate change of pace and left the classroom, but not school ministry. She worked as a receptionist at Saint Francis High School, a coed high school administered by Holy Cross brothers in Mountain View, California. In 1981, she left the school and devoted the next six years to duties at Saint Matthew’s Convent in San Mateo, California.

At her own request, Sister was transferred to Saint Catherine by the Sea in Ventura, California, in May 1987, where she continued to share her musical abilities by playing the organ and piano. She also helped with the switchboard, was a driver and learned to do latch-hook crafts for the convent’s boutique.

An unfortunate fall in June 2001 resulted in a broken hip. While Sister thoroughly enjoyed her years of semi-retirement at Saint Catherine’s, she realized the nursing care she needed was available at Saint Mary’s and moved to Indiana in August 2001.

Sister Eugene continued to make music during the time she lived at Basil Moreau and Queen of Peace Convents. Her gentle manner was a gift to all whose lives were touched by her during the last years of her life. God came quietly for her Sunday afternoon, November 28. Now Sister Eugene is making music with the angels, and is no doubt keeping them on perfect pitch. May she rest in peace.

Memento in Sister Eugene’s own words (except for last paragraph)
Read by Sister M. Josepha, CSC

Memorial contributions may be made to the Sisters of the Holy Cross Ministry With the Poor Fund, Saint Mary’s, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556.