ORLANDO  |  Ahead of her time, Sister of St. Joseph Elizabeth Marie Stoup paved the way for greater equality and care for people with disabilities. By living as a witness of Christ’s love for all, she honored the dignity of each person, recognizing their unique gifts. Sister Stoup died March 18, 2026, at the Sisters of St. Joseph Motherhouse in St. Augustine. She was 94.

A giant in recognizing the needs of the disabled long before the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) came along, Sister Stoup began teaching students with special needs in 1958 at Morning Star Catholic School in Lantana. By the time the ADA demanded the needs of people with disabilities be addressed in 1990, Morning Star already met most of its requirements for decades, because she believed in the dignity and sacredness of all life.

Hearing the concerns of parents and siblings regarding the care of their family members, she approached Bishop Norbert Dorsey who blessed the founding of Magnify’s Bishop Grady Villas in St. Cloud in 2003. The assisted living community offers opportunities for job training and assistance with placement through its Project SEARCH, for those eligible. Here residents are enabled to flourish their God-given talents in a supportive, Christ-centered environment.

Florida Catholic interviewed Sister Stoup in 2020. She recalled selecting the property because of its location, near possible employment and St. Thomas Aquinas Parish.

In reflecting on the expansion of Magnify and the services it provides, particularly in job training, Sister Stoup said she was astounded.

“What has touched me the most is seeing some of the students I had, since age 3. I’ve seen them grow and become really responsible adults. I’m very proud of Bishop Grady Villas because I think of how people looked at people with disabilities when I started working with them. They didn’t have much expectation — even the parents,” she said. “I knew they could be independent to a certain extent, but they’ve gone beyond what I thought was possible.”

Kevin Johnson, executive director of Magnify of Central Florida, recalled Sister Stoup’s love for children and adults with intellectual disabilities.

“As the ministry of Magnify continued to grow and expand beyond her original vision of a residential community to comprehensive supports that have now served thousands of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, she frequently recalled the parable of the mustard seed, where Christ speaks of how the Kingdom of Heaven is like the smallest of seeds that grows into the largest of trees,” Johnson said. “At Magnify, we are blessed by Sister’s care and cultivation of her vision and faithful service.”

Sister Stoup was born in Syracuse, New York, April 23, 1932. She held a degree in elementary education/special education from Incarnate Word College in San Antonio, Texas. She entered the Sisters of St. Joseph of St. Augustine in 1952, and professed her perpetual vows in 1958. That year, she began her ministry at Morning Star School in Lantana.

Morning Star Catholic Schools were the vision of Archbishop Joseph P. Hurley of Florida as a way to meet the educational needs of children with physical and mental developmental challenges. He started the first Morning Star Catholic School in Lantana in 1956, under the belief that all children had a right to an education.

In 1961, Sister Stoup was assigned as principal of Morning Star Catholic School in Jacksonville. A year later, she served as principal of Morning Star Catholic School in West Palm Beach. In 1964, at the request of Archbishop Hurley, Sister Stoup served as principal of Morning Star Catholic School in Orlando until 2002. In her 2020 interview, Sister Stoup said of her students and Bishop Grady Villas residents, “They’re just very special and they’ve taught me more than I’ve taught them.”

Sister Stoup spent her religious life advocating for the sacred dignity of all God’s children with intellectual and developmental disabilities. A dreamer of possibilities, she listened and patiently formed an idea and gently tapped the people who might help make the dream a reality, bringing Magnify’s Bishop Grady Villas to life.

After her retirement from Morning Star Catholic School, Sister Stoup served as a volunteer at the Rainbow (art) Workshop, L’Arche Harbor House, Jacksonville. During her years of retirement, she continued to serve many people with special needs, offering encouragement, teaching and assisting until she was no longer physically able.

“When you spent time with Sister Elizabeth Marie Stoup, you knew that you were truly in the palm of God’s hand. No matter the moment, Sister Elizabeth Marie welcomed all with her wide, vibrant smile. She was a gentle shepherd, refreshing all whom she encountered with the Spirit of the Lord,” said retired Diocese of Orlando chief operating officer/chancellor Carol Brinati. “She taught us about the blessings God’s people bestow upon us each day.”

Brinati added, “Sister Elizabeth Marie Stoup saw a child’s life as a continuum — not something that begins and ends with a school day or at graduation. She believed in the wholeness of the person so that these children would continue to develop throughout their entire life. She believed in fun. Life is filled with joy. If you were with Sister Elizabeth Marie Stoup, you would find children and adults smiling and affirmed; where laughter is heard on a playground that is also a teaching tool for motor coordination; where making a basket during a game of basketball is a time of rejoicing for both sides; and where being able to connect the dots yields God’s goodness.”

In 1988 Sister Stoup was elected to a three-year term on the board of directors of the National Apostolate for Inclusion, and in 2002 served as assistant general superior of the Sisters of St. Joseph of St. Augustine.

Humble and unassuming Sister Stoup praised God for her ability to help and for the blessing of her ministry.  Although she never mentioned them, she received numerous awards for her work. Among them was the “Point of Light” award (1991) for outstanding individuals or groups of volunteers, established by President George W. Bush. A White House press release stated that Sister Stoup “has inspired hundreds of students to overcome barriers and lead fuller, more rewarding lives.”

In 2008 she was the first Legacy Honoree of the Harvest Ball of Bishop Grady Villas, an annual fundraiser to support the people served. Pope Francis honored her in 2018 with the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice Cross.

Sister Stoup’s legacy of love continues through Magnify of Central Florida and the breath of life, joy and love she infused into Morning Star Catholic School.

Watch an interview with Sister Stoup here.

By Glenda Meekins of the Florida Catholic staff, April 10, 2026