Sister Deborah Marie Ciolek, FSSJ   1953–2024

Sister Deborah Marie Ciolek, a Franciscan Sister of St. Joseph for 49 years, died peacefully on Sept. 24, 2024, at the age of 70.

Deborah Marie Ciolek was born on Dec. 15, 1953, in Detroit, to Richard and Irene (Zajac) Ciolek. 

On Aug. 29, 1972, she entered the Franciscan Sisters of St. Joseph as a postulant and professed her final vows on Aug. 2, 1980.

Sister Deborah Marie received a bachelor of arts degree from Cardinal Stritch College in Milwaukee, and a master’s in Education Administration from Westfield State College in Westfield, Massachusetts. She ministered primarily in the fields of education and parish ministries. 

Sister Deborah Marie served as a teacher in the Buffalo area at Mother of Divine Grace, Cheektowaga; St. Barnabas, Depew; and St. Columba, Buffalo; before ministering as a teacher in Massachusetts and Wisconsin. Later, Sister Deborah Marie served as an administrator in the schools of Our Lady Queen of Angels, Detroit; St. Stanislaus, Chicopee, Massachusetts; and St. Paul School, Grosse Point, Michigan. Following her years in education, she continued her ministry in several roles in the parishes of St. Maurice, St. Priscilla and Our Lady of Lasalette, all in Michigan. She was serving as liturgical coordinator at Immaculate Conception Convent, the motherhouse of the Franciscan Sisters of St. Joseph in Hamburg, at the time of her death.

Sister Deborah Marie was devoted to the Blessed Mother and Blessed Solanus Casey, to whom she prayed often for intercession. She will be remembered for her joy-filled, caring, and generous spirit. She thoroughly enjoyed all facets of music and creative arts and willingly shared her talents with her sisters. One of her greatest gifts to God and her sisters was her composition of the song, “Called by God,” a musical rendition of the congregation’s charism statement. Her infectious smile and funny jokes will be remembered as one of her hallmarks, as well as her dedication as a fan to the Detroit Lions and Tigers, win or lose.

Sister Deborah Marie is the beloved sister of Daniel Ciolek, Diane Hyzer, and the late David and Ronald Ciolek.

A wake will be held on Friday, Sept. 27 from 3-4 p.m. with a prayer service at 4 p.m. at St. Francis Park on South Park Avenue, Hamburg. A Memorial Mass will be celebrated at St. Francis Park on Saturday, Sept. 28 at 9:30 a.m.

A funeral Mass will be held at St. Linus Catholic Church in Dearborn Heights, Michigan, on Monday, Sept. 30, at 10:30 a.m. Burial will be at St. Hedwig Cemetery in Dearborn Heights.