On Thursday, Feb. 1, 2018, Sister DePorres Polk formerly of Erath, lost her battle with cancer at the Holy Angels Convent in Jonesboro, Arkansas.
Erath native, Barbara Polk was born to Henry and Dorothy Mae (Jessie) Polk on July 23, 1943. She attended Dozier Elementary as a child and was a 1961 Herod High graduate. She was one of three children. She has one remaining sister; Judith Polk Lightfoot and she lost a brother Preston Richard in December 2015.
As a native of Erath, Sister DePorres shared once, that although her mother was not Catholic, she made the decision that her children would attend the nearby Catholic Church for Mass and religious education classes offered by Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church. Sister DePorres shared in an interview, “When I was 14 years old, I felt the call of God on my life. I knew I had to finish school before I could even think about entering a convent. I graduated from high school and then worked at the rectory for Father Emery Labbe.”
As told by Sister de Porres, she resisted her “calling” for a few years and her parish priest, Father Emery Labbe’ would to tease her by saying he was going to send her to a convent. He told me one day, “Barbara, I’m going to send you to a nunnery.” She jokingly replied, “You, and who else?” She added, “I couldn’t get the idea out of my head. I wasn’t sure what God was calling me to, but I wasn’t ready for marriage either. Between the two, the Lord won.”
One Sunday, Sister de Porres explained that she was listening to a homily by Father Labbe’ at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Erath when the clarity of her calling finally hit home. When she looked and heard her parish priest that day, she says she didn’t see her him, but Jesus standing there. She shared, “I forgot the words he used, but I said, "OK, you win! I knew then that I could not delay my decision any longer. I love every minute of it. I am so grateful that the Lord continued to pursue me and did not give up on me.” Sister de Porres said.
In an interview in an Arkansas paper, she stated, “I visited Holy Rosary School in Lafayette, Louisiana with the Holy Family Sisters, but I realized they were not the ones I wanted to join. The Sisters from Holy Angels Convent were my religious education teachers. They were so jovial and joyful. I felt a drawing to their way of life. Sr. Mary John Seyler told me, ‘You know, Barbara, when someone invites you to a banquet, you don’t refuse.’ She responded by saying, “That got me to thinking.”
Barbara Polk entered the Holy Angels Convent on August 6, 1967, in Jonesboro, Arkansas. She professed her vows on July 11, 1969.
After Sister de Porres joined the order, she worked as a licensed practical nurse in labor and delivery for almost 30 years at St. Bernard’s. She also served in Little Rock where she was a liaison for the Diocesan Council for Black Catholics and then served as the Sub Prioress at the Holy Angels Convent. After she was sicker, she stepped back as a Sub Prioress and then helped produce work schedules for the sisters of the convent.
Diagnosed twice with breast cancer, Sister de Porres Polk found strength through her faith. Sister De Porres Polk battled breast cancer in 2008 and won that battle. However, it was back in 2015.
Her faith, however, was her guiding light through both bouts of cancer. She shared in an interview with the Arkansas Catholic in 2015, “If it wasn’t for my faith, I wouldn’t be able to get through this. If it wasn’t for God and Jesus holding my hand, I wouldn’t make it through.”
On October 11, 2015, Sr. DePorres who was 72 at the time, was named as a Warrior Women Wall of Fame honoree at the St. Bernard’s Imaging Outpatient Center in Jonesboro. The Warrior Wall recognizes women who have battled breast cancer.
On July 11, 2017, this past year, she celebrated 48 years of service as an Olivetan Benedictine Nun.
Sister DePorres (Barbara Polk) was a great granddaughter of Robert and Frances Dozier of Erath. The Dozier couple were the founders of the original Dozier school in Erath back in 1911. She was also the great granddaughter of Rosalind Gradne and the granddaughter of Lizzie (Dozier) and Alicide Jessie and Henry Sr. and Maggie Polk.
Viewing will be held on Sunday, February 4, 2018 with the Vigil at 6:30 PM and the rosary at 7:00. The funeral mass will be at 10:00 am on Monday, February 5th at Holy Angels Convent in Jonesboro, Arkansas.
Sister
DePorres Polk