Obituary

 

Mother Mary William Craig, IHM

Mother Mary William Craig, IHM, of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary died on Monday, May 3, 1965. 

She was born on August 10, 1871 in Pittston, Pennsylvania, and given the name Ellen Aloysia.  She was the daughter of Patrick and Ann Brown Craig.  She entered the IHM Congregation on  July 31, 1890, received the religious habit on August 2, 1891, and made profession of her vows on April 3, 1893.

Mother Mary William served as teacher at the following schools: St. Alphonsus Academy in Tillamook, OR, from 1987 to 1901; St. Lawrence Academy in Portland, OR, from 1901 to 1904; St. Patrick Elementary School in Scranton, PA, from 1904 to 1907; St. Leo Elementary School in Ashley, PA, from 1907 to 1910; IHM Academy in Coeur d'Alene, ID, from 1910 to 1915 and 1931 to 1934; St. Alphonsus Elementary School in New York City, NY, from 1915 to 1920; St. Patrick Elementary School in Spangler, from 1920 to 1923; and Most Holy Rosary Elementary School in Syracuse, NY, from 1923 to 1924.

In 1924, Mother Mary William was appointed community supervisor of schools, and a year later was elected Sister Assistant to Mother M. Casimir, succeeding her as Superior General.  As Superior General, she served our community well in the finishing and furnishing of O'Reilly Hall (now Regina Hall), our first residence for the college girls.  She then proceeded to restore the mother house building to its former total community use, and to enrich it with new furnishings.  These two buildings today bear eloquent testimony to her excellent taste and to her deep respect for the image presented by the community.

Interment is at St. Catherine’s Cemetery in Moscow, Pennsylvania.

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.


Archival Remembrance:

As her sorrowing Sisters reverently assisted at the interment of our revered Mother Mary William, they evidence the deep respect and veneration they felt for her.  Her devoted service to our Congregation extended through a long period of seventy-five years, and ranged through that of teacher, principal, Superior, Supervisor of Schools, Council Member, Sister Assistant, and Superior General.  In every assignment or election, she distinguished herself by her religious spirit, and by the efficiency with which she labored for the Congregation.  In 1891, as a very young Sister, she served in the pioneer mission at Tillamook, Oregon.  All was primitive, different from the comforts she had known in the east.  Four years later, she was transferred to the new Saint Lawrence Academy, Portland, and later to Coeur d' Alene, Idaho.  Twenty years of her apostolic life were devoted to the western schools, serving always with distinction.

In 1924, Mother was appointed community supervisor of schools, and a year later was elected Sister Assistant to Mother M. Casimir, succeeding her as Superior General.  In this last capacity, she served our community well in the finishing and furnishing of O'Reilly Hall (now Regina Hall), our first residence for the college girls.  She then proceeded to restore the mother house building to its former total community use, and to enrich it with new furnishings.  These two buildings today bear eloquent testimony to her excellent taste and to her deep respect for the image presented by the community.  In her last years, two serious falls limited Mother's physical progress; but God favored her by His gift of her faculties which she retained to the end.  All community interests were hers; to her mind, nothing was too good for our Congregation.  Always, our Congregation will be indebted to her for her great contribution to its welfare.  May God abundantly reward our revered Mother Mary William.