Virginia Mary (Gina) Webb, CSJ

Virginia Mary (Gina) Webb, CSJ

A lover of creation, family and friends, compassionate listener, strong proponent of justice and women’s leadership, this wonderfully wise and witty woman was born on December 25, 1935, and died peacefully on the morning of September 8, 2023, at Carondelet Village in St. Paul. She was born the first daughter of three, to Leo J. and Virginia Mary (O’Connell) Webb in St. Paul, MN, and entered the community of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet (CSJ) in 1953. In 1963, Gina earned a BA in Elementary Education from the College of St. Catherine in St. Paul, and later an MA in Counseling and Psychology from St. Mary’s College in Winona, MN (1979).  Gina’s early career was spent teaching elementary education at St. Luke and St. James in St. Paul, St. Michael in Grand Forks, ND, and Holy Redeemer in Marshall, MN, where she was also made Superior and Principal. Gina spent the next 8 years supervising religious education and offering counseling to the community of St. Edward parish in Bloomington, MN. In 1980, she initiated the Employee Assistance Director/Counselor for St. Mary’s Hospital in Minneapolis, MN. In 1984, Gina and good friend Susan Oeffling, CSJ, were called to serve as Associate Principal and Principal, respectively, at Derham Hall High School in St. Paul, MN, and when Derham Hall merged with Cretin High School, Gina continued in her role for one more year. For the next several years Gina worked at many CSJ run ministries including Mission Awareness Director, Co-Director and Counselor for Derham Community, and Co-Founder of Sarah’s… and Oasis for Women. A true pioneer, she faithfully served on and, in some cases, established several boards and councils. In 1998, she was selected for the CSJ Congregational Leadership Team in St. Louis, MO, and in 2004, the CSJ Leadership Team for the St. Paul Province. On leadership Gina had this to say: “Ours is a service ministry and when we act together, we exercise leadership at its best. The greatest challenge at all times is to move beyond what we know today.”

Gina is preceded in death by her parents and sisters Barbara Miller and Gayle Summers. She is survived by many nieces, nephews, grandnieces and nephews, and great-grand nieces and nephews, friends, colleagues, and Sisters of St. Joseph and Consociates, St. Paul Province. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Wednesday, September 20, at 11:00 AM, in Our Lady of the Presentation Chapel, 1884 Randolph Avenue, St. Paul, with burial following at Resurrection Cemetery in Mendota Heights. Memorials preferred to the Sisters of St. Joseph Ministries Foundation.

Dear Virginia Mary, rest in love and peace.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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