Sister Bernice Eidt, CDP
June 28,1931 – February 10, 2021
Sister Bernice Eidt, (formerly Sister Marie Immaculee), CDP, entered eternal life on February 10, 2021 at the age of 89. She was born June 28, 1931 in Vickery, Texas located in Dallas County, to Henry Joseph and Evangeline Marie (Hubert) Eidt. After graduating from high school, Bernice Cecilia attended a local community college and worked as a cashier. Religious life was not in her life plan until she heard about it during a mission she attended in her parish with her mother. She spoke to her Pastor about her interest and he suggested she visit the Congregation of Divine Providence in San Antonio, Texas. On February 2, 1952 Bernice answered God’s call to become a Sister of Divine Providence and professed first vows on June 22, 1954. Sister Bernice taught elementary and secondary students, became a university registrar, a counselor and Tai Chi Chih instructor.
Sister Bernice earned her Bachelor of Science in Education from Our Lady of the Lake College, her Master of Arts in Higher Education with an emphasis on Counseling from the University of Colorado in Boulder. She became a certified Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) with AAMFT and AAPC accreditations. She taught first grade in two elementary schools before serving at the Congregation’s Our Lady of the Lake Academy. She was a teacher at the Academy, a registrar at Our Lady of the Lake College and upon earning her LPC served as a Counselor at the University for fourteen years. She continued her ministry of Counseling as a Pastoral Counselor and Therapist in Dallas for another eight years.
She became interested in the art of Tai Chi Chih in the late 1990’s and obtained a certificate in this field. For the next twelve years she was a Tai Chi Chih instructor in two recreational centers in Dallas, Texas and at Moye Center in Castroville, Texas. She continued to share this art during many of her retirement years at Our Lady of the Lake Convent. She considered Tai Chi to be as helpful as counseling because it helped people get in touch with their whole being and thus be more in touch with the Holy Spirit and God. Her calm and soothing demeanor were key in helping those whom she encountered understand this deep concept.
She is survived by her sister, Evangeline Flock and all her Sisters of Divine Providence. She is also survived by numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and their families. She was preceded in death by her parents Henry and Evangeline Eidt and siblings: Henry Eidt, Jr. (Margaret), Helen Eidt, Scott Eidt (Teresa), Marie Eidt Fralin (Virgil), Elizabeth (Betty) Eidt, and brother-in-law Tom Flock.
A rosary and prayer service will be held on Ash Wednesday, February 17, 2021. A Mass of Christian Burial will take place on Thursday, February 18, 2021. All services will be private.
In lieu of flowers, you may wish to make a memorial contribution to the Sisters of Divine Providence, 515 S.W. 24th Street, San Antonio, Texas 78207-4619.
Obituary (pdf)