Sr. Teresa Margaret Layman

Sister Teresa Margaret Layman died on June 7 in Oklahoma City. She was 101. 

She was born Dorothy Marie Layman on May 11, 1921, to Frank and Mary Rose Layman in Harrah. 

She was preceded in death by her four siblings, Ann, Cecilia, Frank and George. She responded to God’s call to enter the Carmelite Sisters of Saint Therese on Sept. 8, 1936, at the age of 15. 

She made her First Profession in 1938 and Final Profession in 1944. Sister Teresa Margaret was gifted with the teaching of small children for more than 40 years. She started with Villa Teresa in Oklahoma City, then Bristow, Sand Springs, Cushing, Newkirk, Little Flower in Oklahoma City, Riverside, Calif., Yukon and Tulsa. Along with her regular classroom teaching during these years, she also served as a catechist whenever and wherever she was needed.

Sister Teresa Margaret was a true prayer warrior. She loved praying for priests and seminarians. She loved God with every fiber of her being. God’s love for her was truly reflected in her to others by her kindness, gentleness, joyfulness and beautiful smile. No unkind word came from her. She loved her community of sisters and her family members.
Sister Teresa Margaret bore the weight of the cross during the last few years of her life with great endurance. Being wheelchair bound, she never complained. She loved her caregivers and prayed for them daily. God showed his mercy and took her home without much suffering at the end of her life.

An evening prayer service was held June 9 and a Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated at Saint Ann Retirement Center’s Saint Joachim Chapel on June 10. Burial followed at Resurrection Memorial Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Saint Thérèse of the Infant Jesus Endowment for Catechists and Adult Discipleship at the Catholic Foundation of Oklahoma. Gifts can be made online at cfook.org/thereseendowment or by mail to Saint Theresa Endowment, Catholic Foundation of Oklahoma, P.O. Box 32180, Oklahoma City 73123.