Born in Allentown, she entered the Franciscan religious order in 1935. She earned a bachelor's degree in English at Villanova University in 1954 and a master's in education at the Catholic University of America in 1970.
She began her teaching career in Philadelphia, at St. Ludwig School from 1938 to 1944, then taught at All Saints School from 1944 to 1950.
She moved to the Allentown Diocese to work at St. Francis Orphanage in Orwigsburg from 1950 to 1952 before teaching at St. Stanislaus School in Lansdale from 1952 to 1954.
After her first stint as principal at St. Benedict, she returned to the Allentown Diocese to teach at St. Bartholomew School in Brockton from 1956 to 1959 and at St. Lawrence School in Catasauqua in the 1959-60 school year.
Resuming her Philadelphia career, she taught at St. Elizabeth School from 1960 to 1962 and West Catholic High School from 1962 to 1964. After her term at Hallahan, she was a pastoral visitor for the Catholic Social Agency of Allentown from 1982 to 1984.
She wound up her teaching career at Cardinal Dougherty High School from 1984 to 1988.
She then switched careers.
From 1988 to 1998, she was a librarian at Neumann University in Aston, where from 1998 to 2005 she was then a volunteer sacristan and volunteer clerical worker for her religious order.
She was a volunteer in 2005-06 at her convent in Aston. From 2006 on, she served in prayer ministry there.
She is survived by two nephews.
A Christian wake service was set for 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, July 13, at Assisi House, 600 Red Hill Rd., Aston, followed by a viewing and an 11 a.m. Funeral Mass, with burial in Our Lady of Angels Cemetery, Aston.
Contact staff writer Walter F. Naedele at 215-854-5607 or wnaedele@phillynews.com.
