October 6, 2010

Mount St. Vincent Home honors religious sister for 40 years of devoted service

By Don Bain

Mount St. Vincent Home for Children has been a haven for orphaned, abandoned and abused children as well as a school for eager young minds since its founding in 1883.

Sister Roberta Furey, a Sister of Charity of Leavenworth, has been a beloved and highly respected maternal surrogate to thousands of such children during three periods of service there for 40 of the last 54 years.

On Sept. 27, her fellow religious sisters, institutional staff, some of her former charges and numerous admirers gathered to celebrate her long and devoted service, in the dining room of the home.

“Sister Roberta really personifies … Mount St. Vincent,” said Executive Director Sister Amy Willcott, S.C.L. “She carries in her the heart the history of the Sisters of Charity ministry here, from the orphanage days … to today—and all the changes to our programs and children. So she’s really been with us past, present and for the foreseeable future.”

There is a warm ambience in the children’s dining area as guests arrive in anticipation of Sister Roberta’s appearance. The celebrants gathered in groups of three to five, engaging in lively conversation. A convivial atmosphere awaited the guest of honor’s entrance.

When Sister Roberta came into the room, her many friends and admirers stepped up politely to greet her. In between these bright moments of reunion, the Denver Catholic Register managed to ask a few questions.

Some of Sister Roberta’s former charges admitted they were indeed challenging. The nun said her charges “just need guidance and direction.”
Some of her former staff refer to her as “Sarge.”

“When I got tagged with that, we were up in the mountains at our campsite and I’m telling you somebody had to say things,” she recalled. “Anyway I got named that and it stuck because I just took charge.”

She has many stories of the countless souls she has guided and helped. One of the most heartbreaking was the first to come up.

“One of the most tragic stories about the children that came to us was this little boy about 6 years old,” she said. “His father had attempted suicide at least a couple of times without succeeding. So one evening he put a loaded pistol in his son’s hand and they played cops and robbers. That little boy killed his own father. I could just never forget that.”

Many present at the celebration represented her triumphs. Mark Brooks had traveled all the way from Atlanta to visit the woman he met as a volunteer at the home.

“My experiences here led me back to school and I ended up getting my Ph.D.,” Brooks said. “I kept going to school—and more school—and finally became a neurologist.”

Former charge Rudy Muniz commented on what it was like living under Sister Roberta’s guidance. 

“Sister Roberta is a remarkable woman,” Muniz said. “She took care of me for most of the 10 years I was here (1963-73). She had come and gone during that time but she pretty much took care of the older boys. When I graduated from high school and turned 18, I went on to college at UNC and now I’m a teacher.

“I’m surprised she could take care of us—there were about 25 boys and we were a handful. That lady straightened us all out,” he added with a grin. “I don’t know how she did it.”

Sister Roberta first came to Mount St. Vincent’s in 1956. In 1958, she was assigned to an orphanage in Montana. When that institution closed, she returned to Denver for 21 continuous years.

That much time playing wrangler to an untamed group of teenage boys would set anyone back and Sister Roberta went to St. Mary’s in Grand Junction for three months to recuperate.

Later she took a two and a half-year assignment in Kansas. She returned to Denver on July 31, 1993, just in time for Pope John Paul II’s visit for World Youth Day.

As it turned out, the room designated as her bedroom was to be the holding room for the pontiff during his visit, she recalled, so she was unable to really move in for two weeks.

That and other recollections were enjoyed as the afternoon progressed and Sister Roberta moved from table to table, visiting with all her former students, charges and co-workers.

At the conclusion of the celebration, Bill Roth, chief advancement officer for the home, made a presentation revealing what an avid Denver Bronco’s fan she is. He presented a Bronco’s scarf and a white football autographed by none other than former superstar quarterback John Elway.

The celebration, Sister Roberta emphasized, was not a retirement party.

“As long as my health holds out and I can be of help,” she said, “this is where I’d like to be.”