In loving Memory

Sister Grace Anne  Dillenschneider was born in Camden, New Jersey and entered the Sisters of St. Francis from her home parish, St. Anthony of Padua, at the age of 16. At that time, she received the name of Sister M. Cephas.

During her 66 years as a Sister, Sister Grace Anne held numerous leadership positions in education and the congregation. She began her ministry as a teacher at St. James School in Syracuse, New York, and went on to teach at St. Therese in Syracuse and St. Peter in Utica. Sister’s leadership skills were soon noted, and she served as Principal at St. Joseph School in Camden and St. Peter in Riverside, New Jersey.

In 1991, Sister Grace Anne was elected to lead her community and served for eight years. She next ministered as Vice President of Mission at St. Joseph Hospital in Syracuse while also serving as Administrator of Wilson Convent, where she cared for the senior Sisters.

In 2003, Sister was again elected to Community Service as the General Minister for the Sisters of St. Francis as the community transitioned into a new future. When the Sisters of St. Francis of the Neumann Communities was formed in 2004 by the union of several communities of Franciscan women, Sister Grace Anne was elected Assistant General Minister.

Other ministries in which Sister served included Vice Postulator for the Cause of Mother Marianne to Sainthood, Co-Director for Franciscan Collaborative Ministries and Vicar for Religious in the Diocese of Syracuse. Lastly, Sister moved to Franciscan Villa, where she continued as a Prayer Minister.

Sister Grace Anne will be remembered for her significant influence on community life, compassion, and love of God’s creatures. We thank her for her community leadership, tireless work in the Cause of St. Marianne, and quiet, joyful ways of encouraging others.

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Sister Joyce Marie (M. Aimee) Traufler was born in Buffalo, New York. She entered the Sisters of St. Francis in 1957 and was invested with the Franciscan habit on March 4, 1958. At this time, she received the name of Sister M. Aimee.

Sister began her ministry as a teacher and, over six years, taught at three schools in New Jersey: St. Joseph’s School in Camden, St. John the Baptist in New Brunswick, and St. Francis in Hoboken. Then, the Sisters needed her to use her many talents in ministries within the religious community.

Sister Joyce patiently tended the aging at Loretto Rest, St. Anthony’s Motherhouse and, for eight years, St. Francis Adult Day Care Center, where her skills in
caregiving, sewing, cooking, driving and arts and crafts were invaluable.

Sister will most be remembered for the ten years she spent at Stella Maris Retreat Center in Skaneateles, New York. While she served primarily as a food service provider, she acted as a “Jack-of-all-Trades,” taking on many tasks, including driving the tractor to clear the snow and cut the grass.

When Sister moved to Franciscan Villa, she continued her arts and crafts and was a faithful prayer minister.

Sister Joyce Marie was a prayerful, devoted servant of God who will be remembered as a kind, unassuming, caring, hard-working person, always “willing to do whatever was asked of her” to the best of her ability.  Her smile could light up the day. She will be dearly missed.

Sister was 85 years of age and had been a Sister of St. Francis for 65 years.

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Sister Elizabeth “Betty” Bauer entered The Sisters of St. Francis of Millvale, Pennsylvania on January 6, 1957, after several years as a bookkeeper, a job that involved travel to various parts of the country. As a Franciscan, she ministered as a primary grade teacher in Pittsburgh schools from 1960-1975 and then as a principal for ten years. She earned her BS in Education from Duquesne University in 1969 and an MS from Duquesne in 1974.

From 1985-1990, Sister Betty was the Director of Religious Education at St. Brigid Parish in Meadville, Pennsylvania. She then ministered for 14 years as a Pastoral Associate at Our Lady of Peace Parish in Erie. She loved her parish ministries and all those she met. In 2002, Sister Elizabeth reflected: “This ministry has changed my life and my way of looking at people. It gave me a new way of loving people. I now share my life with so many others who share their lives with me. We all grow and constantly convert.”

Sister Elizabeth, “Betty” to many, returned to Pittsburgh in 2004 and became active in Community Ministry at Mt Alvernia. For ten years, she lived in a community house with Sister Donna Zwigart, who recalls Betty as a cheerful and generous Sister who mowed the lawn, cooked, and did the food shopping. “Sister Betty was a good person,” Sister Donna said.

Yes, Sister Betty was a good person. May this good God welcome her home as she welcomed so many people into her life as a good and generous Franciscan Sister.

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Sister María Ramón entered the Sisters of St. Francis of Millvale, Pennsylvania, on August 1, 1956, at the age of 19. For 60 years, she ministered in education in her native Puerto Rico. Following a short time of teaching, she was named Principal of the Intermediate school in San Antonio, Puerto Rico. She was recognized for her excellent work directing and organizing for her students. In 1991, Sister María Ramón was named Associate Superintendent and Director of the Religious Programs for Puerto Rico’s 72 Catholic Schools. Her outstanding work in the town of San Antonio and her contributions to the field of education earned her honors on the Day of the Woman in 1993. Sister María Ramón continued to minister as Assistant Principal and then Director of Colegio San Antonio Elementary School until 2018.

On September 20, 2017, Hurricane Maria struck Puerto Rico and plunged its 3.4 million residents into a humanitarian crisis. Due to the extensive devastation, Sister María Ramón and two other Franciscan sisters of her community had to return to Mt. Alvernia in Millvale. At the time, Sister María Ramón was 80 years old. From 2018 to 2019, she served in various ways at Mt. Alvernia. In 2019, she and all the sisters at Mt. Alvernia moved to The Waters of Wexford. It was here that Sister María Ramón became endeared to many of those who cared for her.

Sister will be remembered as a courageous Franciscan woman who taught Christian values to her students and survived a hurricane of extraordinary proportion. Her dreams remained within her reach, for she once said, “My wishes were fulfilled when I joined the Community of the Sisters of St. Francis in Millvale.”

Click here to make a gift in memory of Sister María Ramón Santiago Colón

Sister Paula Marie Notarthomas was born and educated in Syracuse, New York. In 1951 she entered the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Francis of Williamsville, New York.

A diverse career marks Sister’s 72 years as a Franciscan. After earning a Master of Science degree in education at the State University College at Buffalo, she ministered as a teacher for seven years and as principal for 18 years in schools in the Diocese of Buffalo. She then served two years in San Juan, Puerto Rico. In 1981, Sister Paula Marie was elected to her congregation’s General Council, serving as Director of Ministries for eight years. She then ministered as a pastoral associate at Columba-Brigid parish in Buffalo before serving as administrator and CEO of Holy Family Home, an adult care home operated by the Sisters until 2005. Sister Paula Marie ended her active ministry by volunteering for 11 years at the Buffalo parish Fourteen Holy Helpers at the school and teaching religious education.

In recent years, Sister Paula Marie lived at Fredonia Place of Williamsville, where she used her gift of joy by serving the infirmed residents with games and entertainment. About herself, Sister said, “I am a party-planning lady. I like planning and seeing the joy on others’ faces. I like seeing God working in people whose lives we’ve touched or worked with.” Sister’s joy and willingness to share it with others will be missed.

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Born Carol Hartley, Sister Patricia Marie spent her childhood in Tonawanda, New York, attending St. Francis of Assisi School and Tonawanda High. Following her 1954 graduation, she enrolled in the Cadet teaching program and taught a double class of first and second grades at St. Nicolas School in Buffalo. She entered the Sisters of St. Francis in 1955.

Sister Patricia Marie attended St. Clare College and earned a BS in Education. She ministered in schools throughout western New York State before returning to her alma mater, St. Francis of Assisi, in 1980, where she spent 16 years. After 40 years in the classroom, Sister Patricia Marie spent time ministering in community relationships at Mount St. Mary’s Hospital and geriatrics as director of Spiritual Care at Our Lady of Peace Nursing Home, both in Lewistown.

Sister Patricia Marie remained active at St. Francis of Assisi parish throughout her ministries. She was in the Choir, served on the Pastoral Council’s Spiritual Life Team, and helped count the collections. She also volunteered on the St. Francis School Development Committee and the St. Francis Prayer Shawl Committee. Her activities earned her the first Shining Star Award in 2006, given by the parish in gratitude for Sister’s sharing her time and talents with St. Francis School students, faculty and staff. Even after she retired to Fredonia Place of Williamsville, Sister Patricia Marie crocheted afghans and knit baby caps for newborns at Mount St. Mary’s Hospital.

Sisters’ nieces and nephews will remember her as the family matriarch and de facto grandmother, the woman who drove with a “lead foot,” the soft-spoken observer at the dinner table who patiently taught them to knit. Her Sisters in community will remember Sister Patricia Marie as a dedicated teacher, a willing volunteer and an avid music lover who dedicated her life to God.

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Born in South Buffalo, Sister Nancy was the only child of Allen and Grace (O’Malley) Walsh. She attended St. Theresa’s grammar school and Mt. Mercy Academy in South Buffalo. She entered the Franciscan Missionary Sisters of the Divine Child in 1953; her community later joined the Sisters of St. Francis of the Neumann Communities.

Sister Nancy’s first ministries were home visitation and religious education. She eventually earned her teaching degree and permanent certification in Special Education, and for the next 47 years, Sister dedicated herself to educating children in Buffalo and Williamsville, New York and Deerfield Beach and Miami Beach, Florida. She spent most of her career teaching remedial reading and special education. She also served as principal of the Divine Child Kindergarten for six years. Sister Nancy excelled as a teacher, and after retiring from full-time teaching, she continued to tutor at the Center for Joy in Niagara Falls and St. Agnes School in Buffalo.

Sister Nancy’s love for the sick and for animals moved her to volunteer, along with Pauline Barrick, at Roswell Park Hospital and area nursing homes with a therapy dog. There she offered both spiritual and emotional support to patients and residents.

Sister Nancy will be remembered for her love of reading, life-long learning and her passion for swimming. The highlight of one of her vacations was swimming with dolphins.

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Sister Michele McQueeney was born in Auburn, New York to Carl and Margaret (Dougherty) McQueeney, and named Margaret Susan McQueeney. She entered the Sisters of Saint Francis of the Newman Communities on September 1, 1956.

Sister Michele ministered in education for much of her religious life. In Syracuse, New York, she taught at St. Rose of Lima School and Bishop Ludden High School and at schools in Long Beach and Santa Barbara, California. She was a teacher and administrator at Saint Francis High School in Honolulu, Hawaii, from 1982 – 1986.

In 1991, Sister Michele began ministering in social services in Hawaii.  She became the Executive Director of CSI (Comfort, Security, Independence), Inc, a program for senior citizens. Sister also served as a volunteer at St. Francis Healthcare System of Hawaii. Her dedication to programs for seniors earned her an award from the Honolulu Women’s Business Association in 1985 and the Hawaii Women’s Lawyers Organization President’s Award in 1999.

Sister returned to California in 2000 and served as the Social Services Director at Saint Paul’s Villa in Health and Human Services in the County of San Diego.

An easy-going person, Sister Michele enjoyed being with others. She was genuinely interested in those with whom she lived and ministered. She will be remembered for her concern for others and her dedicated service.

Click here to make a gift in memory of Sister Michelle McQueeney