Obituary

 

Sister M. Charles Gaffney, IHM

Sister M. Charles Gaffney, IHM, of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, died on Tuesday, March 31, 1992, at the Marian Convent in Scranton, Pennsylvania, after an illness.

She was born on December 6, 1915 in Syracuse, NY, and given the name Margaret Rita. She was the daughter of the late James and Phoebe Parent Gaffney, and was the sole survivor of a set of triplets. She entered the IHM Congrega­tion on September 8, 1933, received the religious habit on April 24, 1934, and made profession of her vows on April 30, 1936.

Sister Charles served as a teacher and librarian in the following schools: St. Rose High School in Carbondale, PA; St. Patrick High School in Olyphant, PA; Pocono Central Catholic High School in Cresco, PA; and at several high schools located in New York.

Sister Charles served as principal at Most Holy Rosary School in Syracuse, NY; and at schools located in La Plata, MD. In addition to her full-time ministry, she taught religious education classes, and tutored in an adult literacy program in Maryland.

From 1990 until the time of her death, Sister Charles served as a prayer minister at the Marian Convent.

She received a Bachelor of Arts in French/English and a Master of Arts degree in library science from Marywood College. She did further study at Fairfield University.

She is preceded in death by two sisters, Rose Gaffney and Cecilia Rhode.

She is survived by a sister, Irene May Yerdon of Sigourney, Iowa, nieces and nephews, including, Sister Maura Joseph Rhode, CSJ.

The funeral will be Friday, April 3 with Mass of Christian Burial at 10 a.m. in the Marian Convent chapel. Interment will follow at St. Catherine's Cemetery, Moscow, PA. Friends may call at the Marian Convent Thursday afternoon or evening.

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.