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March 4, 2023Amarillo—Franciscan Sister of Mary Immaculate Sister Geraldine Duran passed away March 1, five days shy of her 100th birthday.
Mass was celebrated March 4, St. Laurence Church, Father Scott L. Raef, pastor, St. Ann's Church, Canyon, and a former student of Sister Geraldine's, presiding. Burial was in Llano Cemetery.
Born Maria Magdalena Duran, Sister Geraldine Duran was born in El Llano-Anton Chico, NM on March 6, 1923, the third of six children born to Juan I. Duran and Avelina Garcia-Duran. She entered the novitiate at the former St. Mary’s Convent in Santa Fe in 1941. She made her first vows on Jan. 6, 1944 in Santa Fe and her perpetual vows on Jan. 6, 1947 in Aragon, NM. Sister Geraldine marked her Silver Jubilee in 1969, her Golden Jubilee in 1994 and her Diamond Jubilee in 2019.
Sister Geraldine served the Church as a Franciscan Sister of Mary Immaculate for nearly 80 years, ministering to young children as a teacher in Aragon; at St. Anthony’s School, Hereford; Resurrection School in Los Angeles; and, at St. Laurence School, Amarillo. She also performed pastoral work in Lubbock and served as librarian at Alamo Catholic High School (now Holy Cross Catholic Academy) in Amarillo.
Sister Geraldine was the owner a Bachelor’s Degree in Education and a Master’s Degree in Library Science. She studied at Incarnate Word College and Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio; Immaculate Heart College in Los Angeles; the University of Albuquerque; and, Catholic University in Washington, D.C.
After spending 40 years in education, Sister Geraldine retired and served the community as provincial superior twice and as Provincial Couselor and house superior.
Sister Geraldine was preceded in death by her parents; a brother, Reynaldo Duran; and four sisters Mary Sanchez, Benita Kieweit de Jong, Frances Paiz and Corinne Duran.
Survivors include six nieces, Margaret Lucero and Susan Marquez, both of New Mexico, Denisse Holiday, Ramona Montgomery and Betina Paiz, all of Arizona and Annette Kieweit de Jong of California; three nephews, Tony Aragon, Frank Sanchez and John Paiz, all of New Mexico; and several great-nieces and great-nephews and their children.
