Parish mourns death of Peace Corps volunteer Blythe O’Sullivan



After Communion during the funeral Mass, Lisa Bobbie Schreiber-Hughes, U.S. ambassador to Suriname, addressed the congregants. Schreiber-Hughes had interacted with O’Sullivan on a number of occasions. She was “truly loved” by the people she worked alongside and the villagers, said the ambassador. “Her life made a difference,” she stressed. A villager in the region where O’Sullivan served recently told the diplomat that the people of the community have “good drinking water today” because of her efforts. “She led a meaningful life of service,” said Schreiber-Hughes. Parker shared with the Explorer a letter O’Sullivan had been asked to compose upon entering the Peace Corps. In the text, she stated, “I hope that I can be a good ambassador of the American values of hard work, determination and perseverance. I want people I am working with to know that I want to learn their culture and participate in it.”

Parish mourns death of Peace Corps volunteer Blythe O’Sullivan

Parish mourns death of Peace Corps volunteer

By Paul Storer

Published Dec 19, 2007

BLOOMINGDALE—Family members and friends gathered Dec. 18 at Bloomingdale’s St. Isidore Church to honor and celebrate the life of Blythe O’Sullivan. The Peace Corps volunteer died Dec. 6 in Suriname, a country in the northern part of South America. She was 25 years old.

Her parents, Joan and John O’Sullivan, with fellow parishioners of the Bloomingdale faith community, relatives and friends, including Peace Corps volunteers and representatives, participated in the funeral liturgy.

“It’s a loss to everybody … A real shock,” Jodi Wygmans, a friend and fellow Peace Corps volunteer, told the Catholic Explorer before the funeral Mass. “She lived life to the fullest. She was a shining star. She was always there with a hug,” added the 26-year-old woman, who now resides in Newaygo, Mich.

An only child, O’Sullivan attended St. Isidore School and St. Francis High School in Wheaton. In 2004, she graduated from Bradley University in Peoria. Two years later she joined the Peace Corps, stated Richard Parker, a spokesperson for the humanitarian operation, in a Dec. 14 e-mail to the Explorer.

The Bloomingdale native was working in the tropical countryside of Suriname with villagers, especially children, when she was accidentally shot, confirmed Parker.

After joining the organization, O’Sullivan served as a small business advisor and later worked with villagers on a water project, according to Parker. Working alongside others, she also helped develop a community center, he added.

Parker explained, “We have two investigators from the Peace Corps in Suriname looking into the incident, and at this time we are still assuming it was a tragic accident.”

Father Anthony Taschetta, pastor of St. Isidore Parish, celebrated the funeral Mass. “Look at this church filled with friends,” he said, speaking to O’Sullivan’s parents. “How do we do this?” The man of God continued, “It’s not fair. No parent should outlive their children. That’s not natural.”

The priest, however, emphasized that O’Sullivan was fulfilling her destiny when she died. “She was a woman on a mission,” said Father Taschetta. She was working to “reconnect humanity.” The pastor added, “She knew her mission and lived her mission.”

Encouraging the people to take to heart the example of O’Sullivan, Father Taschetta said, “There were no borders for this girl.” The pastor concluded, “Today we celebrate that life that will go on forever.”

In the Dec. 16 parish bulletin, Father Taschetta wrote about the young woman in a message to parishioners. “So many young people are preoccupied with their careers, their futures and their lives,” he stated in the text. “This young women in self-surrender looked beyond herself to the needs of others,” wrote the pastor. “In a world where violence and war dominate, this young child of God chose to be an instrument of peace,” he added.

After Communion during the funeral Mass, Lisa Bobbie Schreiber-Hughes, U.S. ambassador to Suriname, addressed the congregants. Schreiber-Hughes had interacted with O’Sullivan on a number of occasions. She was “truly loved” by the people she worked alongside and the villagers, said the ambassador. “Her life made a difference,” she stressed.

A villager in the region where O’Sullivan served recently told the diplomat that the people of the community have “good drinking water today” because of her efforts. “She led a meaningful life of service,” said Schreiber-Hughes.

Sarah Sanford, a long-time friend of the O’Sullivan family, also spoke about the young woman near the end of the Mass. She described her as a “superb student” and a “loving daughter.” She mentioned O’Sullivan’s passion for performing arts and her zest for traveling. Sanford said that she believes the overwhelming love and support the young woman received at home motivated her to share her time and talents with others. The love from her parents made her “able to give unconditionally to others. Blythe lived her values every day.”

Parker shared with the Explorer a letter O’Sullivan had been asked to compose upon entering the Peace Corps. In the text, she stated, “I hope that I can be a good ambassador of the American values of hard work, determination and perseverance. I want people I am working with to know that I want to learn their culture and participate in it.”

Links to Related Topics (Tags):

Headlines: December, 2007; Peace Corps Suriname; Directory of Suriname RPCVs; Messages and Announcements for Suriname RPCVs; Obituaries

When this story was posted in December 2007, this was on the front page of PCOL:




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