Anna M. H. Verhesen

Anna M.H. Verhesen, beloved servant of God, gifted healer and powerful advocate, left this world on Monday, July 1, 2024.

She started her journey on December 6, 1932 in the Netherlands, the daughter of Hendrikus and Henrika (Kluessjen) Verhesen. As a child, Anna experienced the challenges of life during Nazi occupation, seeing the forced sterilization of young girls, rapes, fire and death. Yet Anna’s mother showed her how to have empathy even in the face of evil, praying for the souls of not just those who suffered under their rule, but for the Nazis themselves.

Early on, Anna decided that she wanted to make a difference in the world, so she was educated and worked in child care, working with developmentally delayed and emotionally disturbed children.

In 1959, she immigrated to Alberta, Canada, where her brothers were living, and entered the Grey Nuns’ novakite at St. Boniface in Manitoba. To finish her religious training she was sent to work in two orphanages in Massachusetts: Mount St. Ann and St. Lawrence Home. It was at St. Lawrence where a devastating fire swept through the building in 1970. Anna was one of several Grey Nuns to be severely burned. To seek treatment for her burns, Anna came to Toledo’s St. Vincent’s Hospital, where she began working in the social service department. During her work, she began noticing the impact of alcoholism on patients, so she founded the Tennyson Center, an alcoholism detox and rehab unit at St. Vincent Medical Center – the first of its kind in northwest Ohio.

She departed from Toledo to return to Massachusetts for a few years, then returned to the area to earn her bachelor’s degree in chemical dependency from Mercy College of Detroit. In the 1980's, she worked with St. Vincent Medical Center in a position created to address homelessness. She identified gaps in services from other organizations, and established programs to fill those gaps. In 1985, Anna founded Open Door Ministry, a transitional resident program for men coming from the homeless shelter, and worked with them to set goals and develop talents. She helped establish a similar program for women and children, Harbor House, in 1986. She also helped found David’s House of Compassion for people with HIV/AIDS. She also founded the Ohio Coalition for the Homeless.

In 1992, Anna earned her Master’s degree in counseling from Siena Heights University, and participated in specialized training in sexual addiction, relapse prevention, chemical and alcohol dependency, healing, and spiritual leadership. Anna published several articles on working with recovering alcoholics and those addicted to drugs. In 1992, she left the Grey Nuns but continued her work as a counselor and healer in private practice. She became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 1994.

Throughout her career, Anna received numerous awards - including a 2001 recognition by the Key to the Golden Door Award by Toledo’s International Institute and recognition by the Ohio House of Representatives in 2001 - but it was the thank you notes from people who said that “she saved my life” are what meant most to her. The selflessness and dedication of her many years of serving the community will not be forgotten by those that she helped over the many years, her absence will be missed by all that knew her.

Anna is survived in Canada by her brother, Peter and many nieces and nephews, including Helen (Tom), Paul (Norah), Anders (Cheryl), Marian, Diana (Terry), Rosemarie (Darrell), John, Donald (Nicole) and close friends, Jack Grogan, Selinda Schultz and many other caring friends. Preceding her in death are her parents; sister, Marietje and her husband, Herbert; brother, Jacobus "Jim" Jozef Verhesen and his wife, Gardina; and Peter’s late wife, Barbara.

A service of prayer and memories will be held at St. Martin De Porres Catholic Church, 1119 W. Bancroft St., Toledo, OH 43606, Sister Ginny Welsh presiding on Saturday, August 10, 2024. Visitation will be 10 AM, service at 11 AM followed by a luncheon. For livestream of her service, please go to https://www.saintmartindeporres.com/youtube.

In lieu of flowers, those wishing to make expressions of gratitude for Anna’s Life are encouraged to make contributions to Open Door Ministries, 2823 Cherry St, Toledo, OH 43608 or St. Martin De Porres Church.