Sr. Elaine Buynack, Osu

Throughout her 59 years as an Ursuline, Sister Elaine Buynack (formerly Sister M. Martina) served as a primary teacher, pastoral minister and liturgist, enlightening minds and hearts and inspiring spirits and voices in worship. Finding great delight in the beauties of nature, she could often be found, camera in hand, capturing flowers in their colorful splendor, and transforming her photos into note cards. The faith-filled minister and lover of beauty died August 26 at Regina Health Center (RHC) in Richfield where she had been in residence since early 2014. She was 78.

Elaine Frances Buynack, daughter of Martin and Helen (Chovancik) Buynack, was born August 8, 1937 in Cleveland. The 1955 Ursuline Academy of the Sacred Heart graduate joined the Ursuline congregation in 1955 from St. Timothy Parish, Garfield Heights. She professed final vows in 1961.

Sister Elaine earned undergraduate and graduate degrees in education from St. John College, and a master’s in Liturgy and Catechetics from the College of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota.

She began her ministry career as a primary classroom teacher with assignments at St. Charles Borromeo (Parma), Holy Cross (Euclid), St. Francis de Sales (Parma) and St. Mary Magdalene (Willowick) schools.

As part of her liturgical study she completed a year-long internship at Christ the King Parish, East Cleveland, launching her second career in parish and liturgical ministry. She served as pastoral minister at St. Matthias Parish and St. Bridget parishes in Parma, and St. Anthony, St. Kilian and Our Lady of Good Counsel parishes in Minnesota. Sister Elaine also served as liturgist at St. John Evangelist Parish (Townsend, Mass.) and for the Victory Noll Sisters in Huntington, Indiana. In 2001 she was invited home to assume the position of liturgist for her Ursuline congregation. She served as liturgist until her move to Regina Health Center.

Until just a few months ago Sister Elaine continued to feed her love of nature and found great joy and satisfaction in producing note cards which she gave as gifts and sold in the Ursuline gift shop. The hobby, she often said, was like a prayer, a meditation on the beauty and majesty of God.

Sister Elaine will be remembered for her dedicated service and her love of flowers. She was a committed religious, and a loving sister and friend.

She is survived by a sister, Ceil Silvestri.

Donations in her memory can be made to the Ursuline Sisters.