On Christmas night, December 25, 2025, Sister Edwina Pope, ASC, finished the course of her life as the world celebrated the birth of the long-awaited one. After months of declining health, Sr. Edwina died at 8:00 p.m. under hospice care at Via Christi St. Francis Hospital in Wichita. She had celebrated her 80th birthday in May and 45 years of vows as an Adorer in September of this year.
Sister Edwina was born May 18, 1945, in Kansas City, Missouri to Ralph Pope and Irene Maye DeRome Steffan. She was the first of five daughters. Later the family moved to the small town of Pratt, Kansas, where she was baptized into Calvary Baptist Church at the age of seven. She later wrote, “My thoughts at that time were that I wanted to go to Africa and be a missionary.” Two years later she had her first experience with a Catholic Sister who was at her grandfather’s bedside when he died.
During high school, Sr. Edwina developed what she described as her philosophy of life, “Keep on trying. Where there is a will, there is a way.” She was responsible and conscientious throughout her life, dependable and willing to help others. Later, as her health diminished, that philosophy made it more difficult for her to accept the help of others. She was more comfortable doing things for others rather than allowing others to assist her.
By the time she was a senior in high school, her thoughts were to be a sister, though she hardly knew any one of them or what they were about. As a college freshman she took instructions in the faith and joined the Catholic Church on July 4, 1964.
Sister Edwina knew that she wanted further education and that she would have to work to pay her way through college. Getting a chauffeur and commercial license, she drove a mail truck, a school bus, and a taxi. She painted buildings and worked in the kitchen of the Catholic Hospital in Pratt, where she got to know the Sisters of St Joseph. In 1973, after ten years of going to school part-time, she graduated with a degree in history from Sacred Heart College (now Newman University).
Often, she had time to think and pray during hours of driving, and she kept hearing the Lord call to her. She was a member of a prayer group at that time. In keeping with God’s serendipitous ways, someone in the group handed her information about a vocation inquiry weekend at the Adorers of the Blood of Christ convent. After extended discernment, she entered the ASC community at the age of 33. She made first vows on September 14, 1980, and final vows on September 14, 1986.
Her apostolic experience as a novice took her to St. Mary’s Hospital in Enid, OK, where she worked in the medical library. After pronouncing her first vows, she returned to St. Mary’s for two more years. Then she began 23 years of ministry at Ryan Library on the Newman University campus. During that time, she completed a master’s degree in library information science at Rosary College in Chicago.
In 2004 Sr. Edwina’s ministry went in a very different direction. She accepted a call to serve as Community Life Assistant at the Columbia Center in Pennsylvania. For five years and over 100,000 miles she took sisters to medical appointments, hospital visits, and airports. She also enjoyed taking out-of-town and international sister-guests to Washington, DC and other historic sites. Her last ministry was serving 12 years as US Region Archivist. During this time, she oversaw the transfer of the archives from the former Columbia province to Wichita where they were integrated into the US Regional Archives.
Sister Edwina had great love for the ASC Community and Maria De Mattias. She was delighted to be in Rome for St Maria’s canonization in 2003. It was even more special because that day was also her birthday and that of Pope John Paul. In 2019 she was back in St Peter’s square for the canonization of Cardinal John Henry Newman, the namesake of Newman University. On both occasions she visited ASC historic sites and renewed acquaintance with members of the ASC international community she had met over the years.
Sister Edwina’s native-American heritage on her maternal side was a source of pride and much joy. She participated in the annual gathering of the Miami tribe in Oklahoma and expanded her artistic skills, learning drum-making, bead work, and Indian painting. Some of her pieces received ribbons in the Miami tribe art show.
While in Enid, Sr. Edwina started running regularly. She wrote, “When I’m outside and running, I feel closer to God.” Eventually she went from short five-K races to participating in the Chicago marathon. Another outdoor challenge for eleven years was Bike Across Kansas, a 500-mile trek from the western to eastern border of the state.
In 2022 Sr. Edwina completed her service as US Region Archivist. A sabbatical in Colorado gave her time to explore her Indian heritage and develop her art skills. Until health issues diminished her energy, she continued to be engaged with ASC community life, her art, and an extensive stamp collection.
Sister Edwina was preceded in death by her parents and her siblings. She is survived by nieces, nephews and cousins, and the ASC community.
She will be welcomed home to the Wichita Center at 2:00 p.m. on December 29, with a wake following at 7:00 p.m. The Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m. on December 30 with Fr. Tom Welk, C.PP.S. as presider. She will be interred at the ASC cemetery in Wichita.
In an interview on her life as an Adorer, Sr. Edwina was asked for a quote reflecting the value of religious life. She chose this from Maria De Mattias, “The spirit of this holy Institute is all love. This word we have carved in our minds and our hearts. I say Love, Love toward God and toward our dear neighbor.”
Adorers of the Blood of Christ, United States Region