HARDEEVILLE—Sister Guadalupe Stump, a Sister of Mercy of Americas, an outspoken advocate for social justice and co-founder of Mercy Ministries in Hardeeville, died April 20. She was 86.
The Mass of Christian Burial was held May 1 at St. Gregory the Great Church in Bluffton.
She was born in Kewanee, Ill., on April 20, 1927, a daughter of the late Leandro Domingez and Modesta Sabala. Her life’s passion was to help the poor and oppressed. She received her master’s in social work and was a social work professor at Ball State University in Muncie, Ind. She was married to the late Robert Stump and was the director of Family Focus of Aurora, Ill., which provided service to the Hispanic population. She joined the Sisters of Mercy on Dec. 12, 1987. Between 1988-1991 she served on the staff for the Eight Day Center for Justice in Chicago.
In 1997, Sister Lupe arrived at the Diocese of Charleston with the late Sister Mary Gallagher to work with the Hispanic population at the invitation of Oblate Father Michael Hussey, then pastor of St. Anthony. In 1997, the women religious founded Mercy Ministries of the Lowcountry — formerly known as the Hardeeville Thrift Store. The non-profit serves food to approximately 15,000 people a year and helps nearly as many with clothing, furniture and household goods.
They worked to provide affordable housing for local residents helping found Jasper County Neighbors United, which built 26 homes in Jasper County that opened in 2008. In 1999, Sister Lupe she was selected as the coordinator of Hispanic Ministry for the Diocese of Charleston until 2003.
St. Anthony Mission had only 10 families registered when the sisters arrived and, thanks to their efforts, has grown to over 250 families.
Sister Lupe is survived by her son, John Stump of Savannah, Ga.; two daughters, Susan Stump of Wilmette, IL and Cindy Meyer of Crystal Lake, IL; two brothers, Leandro Domingez Jr. of Kewanee, IL and Dave Domingez of Mount Vernon, IL; a sister, Connie McKinley of Oneida, Tenn., and a granddaughter, Courtney Meyer.
Please send memorial gifts to Sisters of Mercy, 10024 S. Central Park Avenue, Chicago, IL 60655 in memory of Sister Lupe Stump