ADRIAN, MICHIGAN —February 8, 2021—Sister Marie Therese Emery, formerly known as Sister Thomas More, died on Friday, February 5, 2021, at the Dominican Life Center in Adrian, Michigan. She was 97 years of age and in the 74th year of her religious profession in the Adrian Dominican Congregation.

Marie Therese McGuire was born in St. Louis, Missouri. When she was three years old, she was adopted by Blanche Emery. Sister graduated from St. Joseph Academy in Adrian and received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Social Science from Siena Heights College (University) in Adrian; a Master of Arts degree in History from the University of Detroit (Detroit Mercy) in Detroit; a Master of Arts degree in Curriculum and a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Education Administration/Curriculum, both from Michigan State University in East Lansing, Michigan; and an Associate of Arts degree in Business Administration from Lansing Community College in Lansing, Michigan. Sister was a licensed radio operator and pilot.

Sister spent 24 years ministering in education in Detroit, Lansing and Dearborn, Michigan; Chicago, Illinois; and Cincinnati and Cleveland, Ohio. She was Principal at Presentation in Detroit, St. Henry in Cleveland, and St. Vincent Ferrer in Cincinnati. Sister later worked for the State of Michigan, where she was a Fleet Safety Project Supervisor, and at Michigan State University, where she was a traffic safety specialist for two years, a traffic safety program administrator for 11 years, and a technology lab director for 10 years. She was also an engineering/automotive consultant for AAA for a year in Washington, DC. Sister became a resident of the Dominican Life Center in Adrian in 2012.

Sister Marie Therese was preceded in death by her mother and an adopted sister, Sister Katharine E. Emery, also an Adrian Dominican Sister. She is survived by her Adrian Dominican Sisters.

Rite of Committal (burial) for Sister Marie Therese was held on Saturday, February 6, 2021, at 1:30 p.m.in the Congregation Cemetery. A Memorial Word Service was  held on Wednesday, February 10, 2021 at St. Catherine Chapel, and the Ritual of Remembering was held Wednesday, February 10, 2021.

Memorial gifts may be made to Adrian Dominican Sisters, 1257 East Siena Heights Drive, Adrian, Michigan, 49221.

Sister ministered in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati for three years:

1961-1962 Archdiocese of Cincinnati, Vocational Director
1962-1963 St. Antoninus, Cincinnati, Teaching assistant/Elementary Principal
1963-1964 St. Vincent Ferrer, Cincinnati, Elementary Teacher/Principal