Sister Hermine Mary Regan died on February 16, at Labouré Residence in Los Altos Hills, CA. She lived and served as a faithful and loyal Daughter of Charity for 85 years. Born in Seattle, Washington, on September 4, 1910, she graduated from San Diego High School in 1929. She attended Marquette University and Alverno College in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and received her R.N. from St. Vincent’s School of Nursing in Los Angeles, in 1933. Later that year, she began her Postulancy with the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul Community at Guardian Angel Settlement in St. Louis, Missouri. She made vows for the first time on January 25, 1939.
In 1965, Sister Hermine took on the task as administrative assistant and planning coordinator for the new Mary’s Help Hospital. Since funding was not available to relocate the hospital from San Francisco to Daly City, she relied on Divine Providence to get the job done. “She used her great creative energy to gather a group of significant men from San Francisco for a meeting,” said Sister William Eileen Dunn, then a nursing supervisor at the hospital. “She asked each one to commit to raising $100,000, which they did.” Ultimately, Sister Hermine served as Board president. Mary’s Help Hospital was renamed Seton Medical Center in 1983.
The planning experience that helped make the new Mary’s Help a reality in 1965 was also present when Sister Hermine was asked to help plan and supervise the building of Labouré Residence at Seton Provincialate in Los Altos Hills. Years later, as a resident of Labouré, Sister Hermine spent many hours of prayer time in the Labouré Chapel and walking the halls that played such an important part in her varied history.
Throughout her 85 years as a Daughter of Charity, Sister Hermine displayed her talent as an accomplished artist. Her charming notecards depicted Daughters of Charity wearing their cornettes and going about their blessed daily tasks. She is remembered as a kind and compassionate nurse, as well as a loyal and loving friend. She was buried at Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Los Altos.
Sister companions recall Sister Hermine stating that she wanted to die young, which was not realized. At the time of her death, Sister Hermine held the distinction of being the oldest Daughter of Charity in the United States, and the third oldest worldwide.