Entered Life: January 26, 1934  
Entered Religious Life:  September 8, 1951
Entered Eternal Life:  November 20, 2017

“For Me to Live is Christ”

On January 26, 1934, God was ready to give the world a big surprise, but had to think about it.  God wanted to be sure the rest of the world was ready for a beautiful, but explosive, personality.  On January 26, 1934, God gifted us with the joy of del Rey Waite (Nancy Lee Waite).  As God knew, every moment after that, until the day she was called home, was a surprise!

Like most of us, her life of ministry started off in elementary school, teaching at St. John Vianney in Northlake.  From there, the world was like an open field to plant her seeds of ministry – seeing people in need, knowing how to help those with whom she came in contact, and moving on to the next person in need.  Throughout this process, del Rey knew when it was time to move on and when to continue assisting individuals.  Always, always, always, it was in response to God’s will.  Even though she didn’t realize it for a while, within her ministry was her blended gift for poetry.  People were absolutely thrilled with individual pieces of poetry she would give them.

del Rey served at Loretto Academy in Sacramento, California.  She left for Coral Gables, Florida, to care for her parents for 20 years.  After those 20 years, del Rey returned to the Wheaton area, having given all for the care of her parents.  Upon her return, she applied for and accepted a position in parish ministry at St. Scholastica in Woodridge, Illinois.  Responding to the constant call of poetry, she interspersed it mainly with her adult ministry at St. Scholastica, including RCIA and scripture studies.  While there, she felt called once again to spread out, and went to school for CPE (Clinical Pastoral Education).  She studied CPE at Loyola University and, upon being certified, she took a full time Chaplain position at St. Patrick Residence in Naperville, Illinois.  Once again, along the way, her poetry kept growing with her giftedness in literature, and she constantly gifted others.  After 4 years at St. Patrick, she left Naperville and became a full time Chaplain at Marianjoy.  From there her ministry was one of prayer, retirement and readiness for her trip home.

After a lifetime of serving others, del Rey’s body began to fail.  She was called home to God on November 20, 2017.

All of us who knew and loved del Rey are richer for it.

‑Peg Ivers, IBVM