Sr. Mary Alfonsa (Anna Marie) Van Overberghe, CSSF, of South Bend, Indiana, age 92, religious 73 years, entered eternal life on May 29, 2025, in Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Convent, Livonia, Michigan.
Joseph Van Overberghe and his wife, Angela (Matthys) purchased 80 acres of farmland around Gorden Road on the outskirts of South Bend, IN. Anna, the eldest of ten children, was born June 4, 1932, and baptized and confirmed at Sacred Heart Church, a Belgian settlement in South Bend. Nine Siblings followed: Lucille McMahon+, Rene+, Gerard+, Alfons+, Richard, Hilary (Larry)+, Dolores Pajakowski+, Russell, and Lois Krol. The close-knit family resounded with Flemish and English as children grew in appreciation of their rich Belgian heritage.
Anna attended Benjamin Harrison Kindergarten and Crumstown Grade Schools, graduating from South Bend Catholic High in 1950. Her father, Joseph, was employed at the Studebaker Factory and after work would farm the land and build houses. The children helped with seeding, planting, weeding, bailing hay, and driving the tractor.
An uncle who lived adjacent to their land grew peppermint, and the children would help cut it down, load it onto a truck and “tractor” it down to the distillery for processing. The Shady Lane Farm continues today operated by a third generation of the Matthys family. One of the products is peppermint essential oil shipped to companies that produce toothpaste, candy, and lotions such as Colgate and Mars Wrigley.
The huge barn was later remodeled for a Business Office - the beginning of the “The Van-Overberghe Builders.” Holy Family Church in South Bend, IN and the sisters’ convent in Holly, MI were later projects of the firm.
Because the Belgian Church was located a distance from the farm, the Van Overberghe family joined the newly created Holy Family Church. It was here that the Felician Sisters not only taught catechism but started a choir, of which Anna was a member. Anna would often pick up the sisters and drive them home after morning Mass.
Trips to the Monastery in Kentucky to visit an uncle, Alfons Berg, a Trappist Monk, no doubt influenced Anna who began to feel the call of God. A year after senior graduation she made plans to join the Felician Sisters in Livonia, Michigan. At Investiture, she received the name of Sister Mary Alfonsa. First Vows were professed in 1953 and Final Profession in 1959.
Sister Alfonsa showed remarkable abilities in leadership and in her subject field – art. She graduated from Madonna University with a bachelor’s degree, and continued studies at Catholic University of America with a master’s program in Fine Arts. Her thesis project was a monstrance. In 1998, South Bend and the University of Notre Dame once again became familiar territory as Sister completed a second master’s degree, this time in administration.
With a genuine concern for students, as well as openness to new educational trends, Sister Alfonsa was a teacher and principal for 28 years in schools mainly in Michigan: Our Lady of Help of Christians, Corpus Christi, St. Valentine and St. Hilary - in Detroit; Our Lady of Refuge, Orchard Lake; St. Michael, Livonia; St. Francis of Assisi, Flint; St. Hyacinth, Bay City; St. John Vianney, Wyoming; and St. Mary’s, Otis, Indiana. Classrooms and principal offices of all sizes hinted of her artistic creativity, including a little schoolhouse in Otis, Indiana with a combination class of grades 1-4.
In 1982 she relocated to both residence and ministry at the Provincial House in Livonia and served as Director of Education then Director of Ministry. Congregational ministries and activities that engaged Sister Alfonsa over the years included teacher, principal, Local Minister, delegate to six Provincial Chapters, Director of Guardian Angel Summer Camp, Business Manager at Ladywood High School, Parish and School Councils, Coordinator of Felician Educational Leadership Association (FELA) and Government Committees. Sister was also a Board Member at most of the Felician sponsored institutions on the Livonia campus. Most recently Sister served on the planning committee for the central convent renovation projects.
Completing a twelve-year term on the Livonia Provincial Council, in 1994 Sister was appointed assistant to the Provincial Treasurer. The following year she was assigned as the Financial Business Manager at Ladywood Highschool on the Livonia campus. In 1996, Sister Alfonsa was again elected to Livonia’s Provincial Council as Treasurer, a position she held until 2009 when the American provinces and Canada united to become Our Lady of Hope Province. For the next 17 years, Sister Alfonsa worked diligently as the Michigan liaison to the Provincial Treasurer.
In addition to all her responsibilities, Sister was able to use her artistic talents in a variety of ways. A love for birds was evident when bird feeders appeared whenever sister moved from convent to convent. Sister Alfonsa could identify all the occupants who perched upon the branches and ledges. She often worked as a “handyman” by fixing or repainting statues, or other items. In fact, she was known for carrying a box of tools in the trunk of her car. Sewing by hand or machine was also one of her gifts.
After dealing with a variety of medical conditions for many years, Sister’s health began to decline to the point where she was eventually placed on Hospice Care through Angela Hospice. On Thursday, May 29, 2025, at 7:38 p.m., in the presence of sisters, staff and family, Sister Mary Alfonsa journeyed to eternity to meet the Lord whom she so faithfully served for 92 years, 73 in religious life.
The Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated in the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Chapel, Livonia, MI by Very Rev. Canon Walter J. Ptak. Rev. Gary Michalik and Rev. Joseph Romano assisted. Other priests from the Senior Clergy Village, Livonia, were in attendance. Burial was in Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, Southfield, Michigan.
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