Sister M. Karen Braun, IHM
Sister M. Karen Braun, IHM, of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary died on Wednesday, April 5, 2006 at Our Lady of Peace Residence in Scranton, Pennsylvania.
She was born on February 17, 1927, in Hicksville, NY, and given the name Margery Josephine. She was the daughter of the late Fredderick and Mary Leach Braun. She entered the IHM Congregation on September 8, 1944, made her temporary profession of vows on May 8, 1947, and her final profession of vows on August 1, 1950.
Sister Karen served as a teacher at the following schools: St. Cecilia Elementary School in Exeter, PA, from 1947 to 1950; Nativity of Our Lord Elementary School in Scranton, PA, from 1950 to 1954; Notre Dame High School in East Stroudsburg, PA, from 1980 to 1981; St. Dominic School in Oyster Bay, NY; and Most Holy Rosary School in Syracuse, NY; as well as at schools located in Baltimore, MD; Brooklyn and New York City, NY.
Sister Karen served as principal at the following schools: St. Rose Elementary School in Carbondale, PA, from 1975 to 1980; St. Paul Elementary School in Cranston, RI from 1981 to 1982; and at St. Matthew Elementary School in Wilmington, DE from 1982 to 1986.
Sister Karen was a prayer minister at St. Dominic Convent in Locust Valley, NY from 1997 to 2001; and from 2001 to the time of her death, she was a prayer minister at the Marian Convent and Our Lady of Peace Residence in Scranton, PA.
She received a Bachelor of Arts degree in education, and a Master of Science degree in education, both from Marywood College.
She was preceded in death by a brother, Thomas.
She is survived by a sister, Elizabeth Rossi and her husband, Nick; nephews, Paul Rossi and wife Marguerite, and Peter Rossi; nieces, Christine, Caren, and Carla Rossi Hahn and her husband, Bob; grandnieces, Caroline and Charlotte; and grandnephew, Nicholas.
The funeral will be on Saturday, April 8 at 9:00 a.m. with Mass of Christian Burial at Our Lady of Peace Residence, 2300 Adams Avenue in Scranton, followed by interment at St. Catherine's Cemetery, Moscow. Friends may call at Our Lady of Peace Residence on Friday, April 7, 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, Fall 2006 issue
Before retiring to prayer ministry, Sr. Karen worked at St. Dominic School for twelve years. Sr. Karen reached out to be of service to her family, her students, and her faculty. While on the faculty at St. Dominic, she taught seventh and eighth grade math and religion. She worked as hard as she expected everyone else to work. She was the testing coordinator in the school and took pride in tracking the children’s progress.
Because of her efforts while working with the sacrament program, all the Church ceremonies were nothing less than perfect. From the flowers on the altar to the robes the children wore at Confirmation, everything Sr. Karen did was beautiful.
Sr. Karen had qualities she did not let everyone see. Her students ask for her whenever they return to visit the school because they remember her humor, the car washes she let them have, and the great math notebooks they kept right on into high school. She loved the teachers and once in a while she would surprise them with a special treat for lunch, letting them know how much she really appreciated them. She knew when one of them was overwhelmed with work and would offer to correct a set of papers or take their morning duty. Sr. Karen wanted only the best for the sisters with whom she lived. And if she suspected a sister needed anything, it magically appeared.
Sister Karen was generous and hard working and will be remembered a long time for her dedication and perseverance.
by Sister Mary Helen Slavinskas, IHM
