Sister Ida Iris Negron, OP, a member of the Sisters of St. Dominic Province in Puerto Rico, died on the feast of Pentecost. She was 85 years old and dedicated 68 years as a Sister of St. Dominic. She served as the first Provincial in Puerto Rico and was legendary as a school founder and administrator at Colegio San Antonio in Isabela, Puerto Rico.

Sister Ida was born in Naranjito, a town in the center of the island, and was the fifth of 10 siblings.

In high school, she entered the Academia Santa Teresita. That’s where she felt Jesus’ call by imitating the Dominican sisters, who were teachers of the Academy.

By responding to the Lord’s call, she left her home and family. She traveled to New York and entered the novitiate of the Dominican Sisters of the Holy Cross in Amityville where she was formed as a religious, and at the same time, prepared to be a teacher.

After her formation, she returned to Puerto Rico to begin her ministry of teaching in her own hometown. She later served at the Colegio Santo Tomas de Aquino in Old San Juan and Santa Rosa in Bayamón.

She taught mathematics at the Colegio San José for Boys in Rio Piedras where she then served as assistant principal — the first woman to do so. From there, she went to Ponce as head of the Academy of Christ the King. She also served as principal of the Colegio Santa Gema, and still later at Colegio San Antonio. She arrived at Colegio San Antonio with a commission from her religious community.

As a teacher and school principal she accepted many challenges and achieved the goals that were set for her. As a religious person, she was faithful to the Lord, generous, attentive to the needs of those most in need, concerned with justice and peace, always ready for challenges.

“The Lord has been good” to Sister Ida “and we are joyful.” Thank you, Sister Ida.