Sr. Dorothy surrounded by beloved Brazilians.

Sr. Dorothy began her life on a farm outside Dayton, Ohio, one of eight children. She entered the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur hoping to be a missionary to China, but finding that country off limits at the time, she went instead to Brazil. "She was deeply attracted to Notre Dame's strong commitment to serve and work with the poor in the most abandoned places," shares friend Marlene DeNardo who worked with Sr. Dorothy in Brazil.

Sr. Dorothy, holding dual citizenship, devoted almost 40 years of her life to the people and the land of Brazil. Over those years the peasant farmer families came to trust her as she accompanied them in claiming the land promised them by the government. She emboldened them to believe in life. She loved the forest and its wildlife. She taught the people to live well from the land while safeguarding it. One of her sustainable projects for the community included a fruit factory that used acai berries gathered from the forest.

Hours after the murder.  AP Photo.

The Brazil Conference of Women Religious said of her: "Dorothy’s life is seed and symbol of resistance in the struggle for a sustainable model of economic development that respects both nature and people. Her life is planted in the soil of Brazil where it will flourish for years to come."