Sinsinawa Dominican Sister Melissa Waters, 95, died Dec. 21 in Hazel Green, Wisconsin.

Born in New York City, Sister Melissa was raised in Washington, D.C., before entering the Sinsinawa Dominicans in 1950. She earned a bachelor’s degree in English from Rosary College, River Forest; a master’s degree in English from the University of Minnesota; and a doctorate in ministry from the Aquinas Institute of Theology in Dubuque, Iowa.

She taught in Illinois, New York, Minnesota and Alabama. She served in congregation leadership as director of ongoing formation and then as provincial until 1980, when, after having completed her doctorate, she was called to Rosary College, now known as Dominican University, where she served for 38 years. She was an English teacher, associate dean for advising, assistant professor and administrator of the Rosary in London program. She retired in 2018.

“Sister Melissa’s great gift was establishing and continuing relationships with every group of people on campus, particularly students,” said Dominican Sister Marcella Hermesdorf, professor emerita of English at Dominican University. “The students loved her and she was a great advocate for them. She was so supportive and affirming to all. You never left Sr. Melissa’s office without feeling better about yourself and any situation you were dealing with.”

She is survived by her brother, Richard.