Sr. Suzanne Cote

Sister Suzanne Cote, C.N.D. (Mother St. Irene of the Angels), 94, of Kankakee, died Feb. 8, 2009, at Provena St. Mary's Hospital. Visitation will be from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 17, with a 3 p.m. wake service, at the Clancy-Gernon-Hertz Funeral Home, west Kankakee. A funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Wednesday at St. Patrick Catholic Church.Burial will be in Maternity BVM Cemetery, Bourbonnais. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Congregation of Notre Dame.Born in Kankakee, July 9, 1914, she was one of seven children of Joseph and Agnes Drolet Cote. She attended St. Rose School and St. Joseph Seminary, graduating in 1931. After one year at St. Viator College, she joined her sister, Jeannette, in the novitiate of the Congregation of Notre Dame in Montreal and pronounced her vows on Aug. 28, 1934. Profession of her final vows was Aug. 10, 1940. Her first assignment in 1934 was at St. Louis Academy, Chicago, for nine years. She then served at St. Joseph Seminary, Kankakee, for three years. After a year in Waterbury, Conn., she returned to St. Joseph Seminary and served as principal until the school closed in 1964.Her contribution to the Kankakee community was more than a teacher and administrator. She was one of the leaders in the county human relations conference held each year for high school students and was also a leader on the national level of the Young Christian Students. In the sports field she was the prime booster of girls' tennis in the community.Her teaching career continued at Stamford Catholic High School in Connecticut; Central Catholic in Vermont; and St. Mary's in Rhode Island. When the CND schools closed in St. Alban's, Vermont, Sister returned there as Coordinator of Religious Education, serving five parishes and several missions in local and outlying areas. Returning to Kankakee in 1980, she taught at Bishop McNamara High School for three years, and then retired from active teaching. Sister attended DePaul University and Loyola University in Chicago, Fordham University in New York, St. Joseph's College in Rensselaer, Ind., St. Michael and Trinity colleges in Vermont, and obtained degrees in education, administration, science, and theology.Surviving are niece, Kathy Cote Zuilek and Joe Zuilek of Montgomery, Ill.; nephews, Scott and Denise Cote of Cave Creek, Ariz., Keith and Angela Cote of Wheaton; and special family friend, Pam Walker.She is preceded in death by her parents; and sisters, Albertine Cote (Sister St. Agnes), Jeannette Cote (Sister St. Joseph), Laura Cote, Clotilde Cote Fortier; and brothers, Raoul Cote and Joseph Cote.

Sr. Suzanne Cote

July 9, 1914 - February 8, 2009