November 12, 2025

A Mass of Christian Burial for Sister M. Stephanie Frenette, a Dominican Sister of Hope, was celebrated by Bishop Terry R. LaValley on Saturday at 9 a.m. in St. Peter’s Church in Plattsburgh.

A memorial Mass and burial will take place at the Dominican Sisters of Hope, 299 North Highland Avenue, Ossining, on November 18 at 11 a.m.

Sister Stephanie, 84 of Plattsburgh, peacefully took the hand of the Lord on November 3, 2025.

Born in Detroit, Michigan, on July 11, 1941, her birth name was Barbara Ann, and she was the oldest of three children born to Irene and Arthur Frenette, whose roots were from Mooers Forks, New York, and Winooski, Vermont. For the first 16 years of her life, Barbara Ann (Sister Stephanie) lived in Detroit and Royal Oak, Michigan. For her senior year of high school, she attended the prep school at Dominican Academy in Fall River, Massachusetts.

In 1959, at the age of 18, she decided to enter the Dominican Sisters of St. Catherine of Siena in Fall River, Massachusetts. During the next three years of postulancy and novitiate, she also taught at Dominican Academy as well as began her pursuit of a bachelor’s degree at Providence College during the summers.

In 1962, Sister Stephanie was assigned to St. Peter’s School in Plattsburgh. Following her time as a classroom teacher, she also taught religious education in multiple parishes in the North Country, including Altona, Chateaugay, Chazy, Ellenburg, Mooers, Mooers Forks, Sciota and West Chazy.

In 1972, Sister Stephanie was transferred to teach at St. Bernadette’s School in New Haven, Connecticut, for five years. She then returned to St. Peter’s School in 1977, continuing to teach for many more years in first grade, second grade and Pre-K. In fact, Sister Stephanie actually taught every grade level from Pre-K to grade 12, either in school classroom teaching or in Faith Formation/Catechetical programs. One of her greatest contributions to thousands of children was teaching them to read and sharing her love of God through her catechetical programs. She was also well known for wanting to take the most difficult and/or challenged children in her classroom.

After teaching, she became a home health aide for a few years until medical issues forced her to retire.

Along with her congregational responsibilities as infirmarian, she also served as a Hospice volunteer, a Eucharistic Minister at St. Peter’s and a multi-year traveler and Leadership Team member of the North Country Mission of Hope.

In 1995, Sister Stephanie, along with hundreds of her Dominican Sisters, became a founding member of her present congregation, the Dominican Sisters of Hope.

Among her many interests, she loved to travel, preferably by car so she could “see more,” loved to go on Mission to Nicaragua, where she had a strong commitment to the disabled orphans, was a wonderful listener and loved hearing from her past students. Her greatest and most cherished moments were when she was with children.

In addition to her parents, Sister Stephanie was predeceased by her nephew, Shawn Watson; and her niece, Aimee Frenette.

She is survived by her brother Larry Frenette; her sister Joan Koson; nieces, Heather Frenette, Michele Brooks and family; her nephew, Michael Watson and family; and several grand and great-grand nieces and nephews. Sister Stephanie is also survived by Sister Debbie Blow, her lifelong soul friend and Sister Debbie’s family, who loved Sister Stephanie as their own.

Donations in Sr. Stephanie’s memory may be made to North Country Mission of Hope or to the Dominican Sisters of Hope.

The Executive Director of the North Country Mission of Hope, Deacon James Carlin, captured the true essence of Sister Stephanie.

“It is with great sadness that I let you know that after a very long illness, Sister Stephanie passed from this life ear-ly this morning. Sister Steph is not listed as a founder of the Mission of Hope, but was from the beginning a driv-ing force in moving the Mission forward and in establishing the heart and soul of the work of the Mission. Sister Steph was an unrelenting force for justice and charity, always holding us accountable to those principles. Sister Stephanie will be sorely missed; however, her example and life will be a legacy that lives on in everyone she touched and in the work of the Mission of Hope.”

“Blessed are those who have died in the Lord; let them rest from their labors, for their good deed go with them.”

Arrangements have been entrusted into the care of the R.W. Walker Funeral Home and Cremation Service, 69 Court Street, Plattsburgh.