Sister Jane Driscoll, IHM
Sister Jane Driscoll, IHM, (formerly known as Sister M. Timothea) of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary died on Wednesday, February 7, 2007 at Our Lady of Peace Residence in Scranton, Pennsylvania.
She was born on May 1, 1918, in Corning, NY, and was the daughter of the late Timothy and Elizabeth Hart Driscoll. She entered the IHM Congregation on September 8, 1936, made her temporary profession of vows on May 8, 1939, and her final profession of vows on August 2, 1942.
Sister Jane served as a teacher at the following schools: St. Ephrem Elementary School in Brooklyn, NY, from 1939 to 1943; Cathedral Elementary School in Scranton, PA, from 1943 to 1953; St. Paul High School in Scranton, PA, from 1953 to 1954; Holy Rosary High School in Scranton, PA, from 1954 to 1955; St. Dominic High School in Oyster Bay, NY, from 1955 to 1959; St. Alphonsus High School in New York, NY, from 1959 to 1963; South Scranton High School in Scranton, PA, from 1963 to 1968; Immaculata High School in New York, NY, from 1968 to 1971; St. John the Evangelist High School in Pittston, PA , from 1971 to 1974; and Most Holy Rosary High School in Syracuse, NY, from 1974 to 1978.
Sister also served as director of religious education at St. Peter's Parish in Wellsboro, PA, from 1978 to 1984; support staff member in the communications office at the IHM Center in Scranton, PA, from 1984 to 1986; catechetical instructor Our Lady of Sorrows Parish in Vestal, NY, from 1986 to 1988; librarian at Epiphany Elementary School in Sayre, PA, from 1988 to 1991; assistant in the IHM Art Studio in Scranton, PA, from 1991 to 1997; and as an occupational therapy staff member at the Marian Convent in Scranton, PA, from 1997 to 2000.
From 2000 until the time of her death, Sister Jane served as a prayer minister at the Marian Convent and at Our Lady of Peace Residence, both in Scranton.
She earned a Bachelor's degree in education, a Master's degree in education, and a Master's degree in religious education, all from Marywood College.
She is preceded in death by a sister, Mary Driscoll Brooder.
She is survived by two nieces, Jane Leisenring of Painted Post, NY, and Kay Brooder of Corning, NY, and a nephew, Robert Brooder of Cary, NC.
The funeral will be Saturday, February 10, at 9:30 a.m. with Mass of Christian Burial at Our Lady of Peace Residence, 2300 Adams Avenue in Scranton. Interment will be at St. Catherine's Cemetery, Moscow. Friends may call at Our Lady of Peace Residence on Friday, February 9, between 3:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.
Memorial contributions may be made to support the retired IHM Sisters c/o the IHM Sisters Retirement Fund, IHM Center, 2300 Adams Avenue, Scranton, PA 18509.
Reprinted from "In Memoriam" section of Journey, Spring 2007 issue
As I looked at Sr. Jane’s memorial card I read the words: “My soul magnifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my savior…” I thought how well those words summed up the life of Sr. Jane. Everything she was and did was about magnifying the Lord.
I lived with Sr. Jane for a few years in the formation community at the IHM Center, and we became good friends. I always thought of her as a gentle soul who found the revelation of God in all the people.
She treasured the gift of friendship and had many good and faithful friends. She spoke often of her friends Sr. Robertine and Sr. Marita and considered them to be a sacred part of her journey as IHM.
Her love of nature and animals was well-known to all who knew her. She expressed her love in cross-stitch which depicted her beloved animals and nature scenes, and which adorn the walls of some of our convents and homes of her relatives.
We often traveled to retreat at the ocean where she delighted in the contemplative walks along the shore. You can be sure that on the way to and back we always stopped at some mall where Jane would give free reign to one of her hobbies - shopping!
Jane enjoyed the simple pleasures of life like reading a mystery or taking a ride, stopping, enjoying lunch or dinner. She was so easy to be with. She was a good listener. She never gave advice unless asked. I appreciated her wisdom which I am sure came from her greatest gift, that of her own spiritual life.
I am sure that on her way to heaven she stopped and visited her friends at “rainbow bridge.”
by Sr. Dolores Banick, IHM
