In loving Memory

Sister Pauline Marie (Patricia Ann) Willman was born on March 31, 1938, in Buffalo, New York, the oldest of two children. She attended elementary schools in Buffalo and Salamanca, New York and graduated from Salamanca High School. After two years at the University of Buffalo, she entered the Sisters of St. Francis community in Williamsville, New York. She transferred to Canisius College where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree.

Sister Pauline Marie taught elementary school during the first nine years of her ministry. This was followed by community service at St. Mary of the Angels motherhouse and as a dietetic assistant at Mt. St. Mary’s Hospital in Lewiston. She said that she found her niche in working with the ill and elderly at St. Mary’s Manor, Niagara Falls, where she engaged in pastoral ministry and was the Director of Volunteers.

So that she might be of greater assistance to the elderly and infirm, Sister Pauline Marie studied mental health counseling at Niagara University and received her Masters Degree in Mental Health Counseling in 2002. This greatly enhanced her ministry of service to the elderly and ill at St. Francis Home and to the Sisters in the Health Center at St. Mary of the Angels in Williamsville. After retiring from active ministry, she embraced a ministry of prayer and of caring for others in simple ways.

Sister Pauline Marie was a member of the American Counseling Association and Mensa. She was always open to and interested in studying a variety of subjects, enjoyed reading, cross word puzzles, knitting and crocheting. In a special way, she loved music and played her flute on many occasions at St. Mary of the Angels Motherhouse chapel to inspire and delight those in attendance.

Sister Pauline Marie will be remembered for her soft-spoken, caring and pleasant manner, for maintaining an interest in other people, and for welcoming them when they visited her.

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Sister Lorraine was born and raised in the Lawrenceville neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where she was a member of Holy Family Parish. Hearing God’s call to religious life, she entered the Sisters of St. Francis at the age of 17, and made her final profession of vows on August 13, 1966. For nearly seven decades, she faithfully lived her Franciscan vocation through ministries of education, leadership, communications, and service.

Sister Lorraine earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Education from Carlow College and a Master of Education in Montessori Education from Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio. Montessori education was a ministry she deeply loved. She delighted in fostering each child’s curiosity, creativity, and confidence, believing that every child possessed unique gifts waiting to be discovered and nurtured.

Sister Lorraine possessed an extraordinary talent for writing, editing, and storytelling. She contributed articles to a variety of Catholic publications. She later served in communications for the Adrian Dominican Sisters, traveling nationally and internationally to produce videos, write articles, and share stories of the congregation’s ministries throughout the world. While working with the Adrian Dominicans, Sister Lorraine spear headed the founding of the National Communicators Network for Women Religious (NCNWR), now called Communications for Women Religious (CWR).

Within the Sisters of St. Francis of the Neumann Communities, Sister Lorraine served on the Congregational Leadership Team, where she helped initiate a collaborative healthcare outreach with the Sisters of Mercy. This program provided a mobile health van offering medical care and support to underserved neighborhoods.

Her writing talents continued to bless the congregation in countless ways. Most recently, she served as principal writer and editor of the final documents of the 2025 Congregational Chapter. She also authored the history of the Sisters of St. Francis of the Neumann Communities from 2004 through 2024, preserving an important chapter of the congregation’s story for future generations.

While living at the Province of Wexford, Sister Lorraine designed and decorated the chapel for liturgical seasons, feast days, and special celebrations. Through her artistic gifts, she created sacred spaces that invited reflection, reverence, and joy.

Her unexpected death has prompted her sisters, family, and friends to pause in gratitude for the many gifts she shared so generously. May she now enjoy the fullness of God’s peace and the eternal joy promised to all who have served Him faithfully.

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Sister Mary was born in the Bronx. She spent her childhood in the Village of Pelham, Westchester County, where she first met the Hastings Franciscan Sisters, whom she greatlyadmired. Shortly after graduating from St. Gabriel High School in nearby New Rochelle in 1947, Mary joined the Sisters.

Sister Mary began her ministry as an educator in 1950 at Immaculate Conception School in Tuckahoe, New York. In 1961, she transitioned to teaching high school. For more than 20 years, she taught in schools in Hastings-on-Hudson, New York.

Sister Mary earned a master’s degree in English from Fordham University and another in Public Health from Columbia University in 1974. For several years, she served her community as local Superior, Council Member and Superior General.

In 1988, Sister Mary ministered at St. Francis Hospital in Poughkeepsie, marking the beginning of her long ministry in Hospital Administration within the Archdiocese of New York. She returned to teaching in 1997.

Five years after she retired, Sister Mary was asked to return to Kennedy Catholic High School to teach students moral theology. In her early 90s, she developed the computer skills needed to teach on-line during the COVID-19 pandemic. Because many students were not Catholic, she said that she focused on “teaching them to be good human beings.” Health issues forced her final retirement in 2023.

Sister Mary is remembered by students for her kindness and by her sisters for her deep love of her Catholic faith.

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Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Sister Eleanor Reisinger was one of four children. Drawn by a quiet but unwavering desire to serve God through simplicity, prayer, and the daily work of community life, she entered the Sisters of Saint Francis of Millvale at age 18, where she took the name Sister M. Alberta. 1948, Over the decades, she became a living witness to the Franciscan spirit-humble, steady, and deeply rooted in trust.

Sister Eleanor spent much of her ministry as a teacher in Pennsylvania elementary schools in the Pittsburgh, Greensburg, and Altoona-Johnstown dioceses. Her calm presence and patient, process-oriented approach shaped generations of children. Never one to seek attention, she instead offered a quiet strength that helped others grow.

Sister Eleanor retired from education after 40 years of teaching and went on to server her community, as a Claims Processor in the business office at Mount Alvernia. She ministered there for the next 15 years. After she left the business office, Sister continued in other forms of Congregational service until she moved to The Province of Wexford in 2019.

Sister Eleanor delighted in the simple joy of making candy, a craft she shared generously with sisters, friends, and visitors. Her confections became a quiet ministry of their own—small, sweet reminders of the love she poured into even the most ordinary moments.

She was known by her sisters in community for her thoughtful way of moving through the world. She approached every action—whether preparing a classroom or simply walking down a hall—with a deliberateness that revealed her inner life. She taught, without saying it, that holiness is found not only in great works, but in the grace of doing small things with great care.

Sister Eleanor will be remembered for her humility, her constancy, and her deep trust in God’s presence in the ordinary. Her life was a quiet witness to the beauty of fidelity—day after day, year after year, lived with grace.

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Sister Patricia grew up in the western New York hamlet of Swormville, the oldest of five children. She attended Catholic schools from elementary through high school, and entered the Sisters of St. Francis in Williamsville, New York, following her high school graduation.

Sister earned an associate degree at St. Clare College before entering Mt. Saint Joseph College (Medaille), where she earned her Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in Education. She also earned certification in Supervision and Administration and in School District Administration. This prepared her well for her ministries as teacher, principal, chairperson of various boards and Associate Superintendent for Elementary Education for the Buffalo Diocese.

In 1989, Sister Patricia was elected Assistant General Minister of the Williamsville Franciscans, and in 1991, she became General Minister. She served on the committee that facilitated the merger of three Franciscan communities in New York and, subsequently, the inclusion of the Franciscan Sisters in Pittsburgh, forming the new congregation of the Sisters of St. Francis of the Neumann Communities, where she became its first General Minister.

After 35 years in congregational leadership, Sister Patricia was appointed Diocesan Coordinator of Priests’ Retirement Residences in the Buffalo Diocese. Upon retirement, she continued to support her community as a Minister, overseeing the well-being of sisters in western New York.

During her many years of service, Sister Patricia received honors and awards including: St. John Neumann Award for her contributions to Catholic Education in the Diocese of Buffalo (1989); Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice Honor in recognition of outstanding service to the church (2012); Peacemaker Award in recognition of her Creative Fidelity to the Church (2012); and, the Cure of Ars Award in recognition of her leadership in service and dedication in religious life (2023).

Sister Patricia will be remembered for her pleasant, even-tempered demeanor, her example of the Franciscan tradition of servant leadership, and her caring, grace-filled persona.

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Sister Carol Troesch was 19 years old when she entered the Sisters of St. Francis in Millvale, Pennsylvania. She credited her mother for fostering her vocation with a quote from St. Francis de Sales: “Do not try to be anything but what you are and do that perfectly.”

For over 54 years, Sister Carol was a teacher, devoting her life to ministering to first and second-grade students in several Catholic schools throughout the Pittsburgh Diocese. In 1970, Sister Carol joined the staff of Christ the Divine Teacher Catholic Academy (the former St. Scholastica School) in Aspinwall, Pennsylvania. She would remain here for 32 years and was one of the first recipients of the Diocese’s Golden Apple Award for outstanding teaching performance. It was obvious that Sister loved teaching, calling it challenging, exciting and full of promise.

Sister Carol retired from her education ministry at age 75, but quickly turned to assisting the congregation by serving as coordinator of Scotus Hall, on the Mt. Alvernia campus in Millvale. She continued in other forms of Congregational service until moving to the Province of Wexford in 2019. Several years later, Sister Carol became a resident at Vincentian Home and through her gentle spirit and joyful heart, Sister ministered through her Franciscan presence.

Sister Carol will be remembered for being who she was and doing it perfectly.

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Sister Mary Daniel was born in Albany, New York. She entered the Sisters of the Resurrection and entered a ministry of education that saw her teaching and serving as a principal in Catholic schools in New York, Connecticut and New Jersey. She earned a certification in Clinical Pastoral Education and was a certified chaplain through the National Association of Catholic Chaplains.

In 1993, Sister Mary Daniel felt called to a Franciscan way of life and transferred to the Sisters of St. Francis of the Neumann Communities. She ministered as a child caregiver at the Gingerbread House Day Care and Pre-School and St. Joseph’s Hospital, both in Syracuse and both sponsored ministries of the congregation. In 2005, she became the director of The Franciscan Place at Destiny USA shopping center that offered Mass, the Sacrament of Reconciliation and a gift shop.

Living at Franciscan Villa in Syracuse, Sister Mary Daniel volunteered at NunBetter Chocolates and Custom Gift Shop, where she helped package candy. Her final service was in prayer ministry and the Villa.

Sister will be remembered for her embrace of Franciscan values and her willingness to assist wherever needed.

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Sister Frances Marie Kowalski was born in Syracuse. She entered the Sisters of St. Francis in 1967. Sister referred to herself as a “creation person” who drew strength from being in nature. Combined with her analytical mind, she was drawn to teach Science at the junior and senior high school levels. She earned a degree in elementary education with a concentration in sciences and a master’s degree in theology.

In 1970, Sister embarked on a ministry of education as a teacher and principal that lasted over 20 years and brought her to Catholic schools throughout Central New York and Florida.

While in Florida, Sister worked tirelessly to open low-income housing buildings for the elderly. For 10 years, she was responsible for all aspects of its supervision and served as a consultant to new HUD projects in Florida. When she returned to Syracuse, Sister Frances served her fellow sisters in various roles, including serving on the community’s Leadership Council.

Sister Frances was an avid Syracuse University sports fan who donned her SU Orange gear for basketball and football games. She was proud to be a native Syracusan and both a student and teacher at Assumption Parish, where she grew up.

Sister Frances will be remembered for her willingness to help her sisters in any way possible, and her love of creation in true Franciscan manner.

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