Sister Nancy deMattos was born on June 7, 1930, in South Hampton, N.Y. She was the oldest of three children born to the late John and Eva Marie (LaPlante) Dethier. Sister Nancy was a “Sister Mom,” having been married and raised her two children, Sharon and Stephen, before becoming a Franciscan Sister.
She was accepted as a Franciscan Sister of Little Falls, Minnesota, on December 30, 1984. She made her first profession of vows on August 9, 1986, and final vows on June 17, 1989. She was a Franciscan Sister for 40 years.
Sister Nancy was named to the dean’s list at North Dakota State School of Science, Wahpeton, N. Dak., where she earned an associate degree as an occupational therapy assistant.
She worked as an office clerk, practical nurse, retail buyer and sales representative. As a sister, Sister Nancy ministered as an occupational therapy assistant, adult life skills coordinator, assistant activity director, home health aide, switchboard operator and communications assistant. Sister Nancy served in Milwaukee and Rhinelander, Wis.; Denver, Colo.; St. Paul, Onamia and Little Falls, Minn.
Sister Nancy was a woman of faith, praying that God’s will—not hers—be done. She was a person with a lot of energy and a creative mind that never seemed to rest. She had a deep sense of responsibility and many times found her on “overload,” but she followed through to the end of each task she performed. She loved to cook, bake, set up for parties and do crafts. She enjoyed working at the computer and set out to explore her family history, even traveling to fill in details and organize it into a story for her descendants. She was generous with her time and talent and created strong community bonds with her Franciscan Sisters and appreciated their support.
Sister Nancy was preceded in death by her parents, son Stephen, and brothers George and Robert. Survivors include her daughter Sharon (Arthur) Broughton, Nevada City, Calif.; granddaughters Amy Monax and Annika Broughton; great grandson Eric Monax and her Franciscan Community.
A wake was held for Sister Nancy on February 27, 2025. A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on February 28, 2025, at St. Francis Convent.
