Sister M. Maurice Hartnett, IHM
Sister M. Maurice Hartnett, IHM, of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary died on Sunday, January 29, 2012, at the Hospice Inpatient Unit of Regional Hospital of Scranton in Scranton, Pennsylvania.
She was born on June 15, 1919, in Beaverdale, PA, and given the name Mary Jane. She was the daughter of the late Maurice and Ann Elizabeth Drabick Hartnett. She entered the IHM Congregation on February 2, 1942, made temporary profession of her vows on August 2, 1944, and final profession of her vows on August 2, 1947.
Sister Maurice served as a teacher at the following schools: St. Mary Elementary School in Avoca, PA, from 1944 to 1948; St. Paul Elementary School in New Bern, NC, from 1948 to 1956; St. Mary of the Assumption Elementary School in Upper Marlboro, MD, from 1956 to 1961 and 1994 to 1996; Immaculate Conception Elementary School in West Pittston, PA, from 1961 to 1965; St. Alphonsus Elementary School in New York, NY, from 1965 to 1967; St. Stephen Elementary School in New York, NY, from 1967 to 1970; St. Matthew Elementary School in Wilmington, DE, from 1970 to 1977; St. Mary’s Elementary School in Goldsboro, NC, from 1977 to 1984 and 1988 to 1994; and at St. John the Evangelist Elementary School in Clinton, MD, from 1984 to 1988.
Sister also served as an instructor for the IHM Education Enrichment Institute in Scranton, PA, from 1999 to 2007.
From 2007 until the time of her death, Sister Maurice served as a prayer minister at Our Lady of Peace Residence in Scranton.
She received a Bachelor of Arts degree in education, and a Master of Arts degree in education, both from Marywood College.
She was preceded in death by a brother, Maurice (Bud), and a sister, Patricia Louise.
She is survived by a sister, Sister M. Lisbeth, IHM, of Scranton, PA, and nieces and nephews.
The funeral will be Thursday, February 2, at 11:00 a.m. with Mass of Christian Burial at Our Lady of Peace Residence, 2300 Adams Avenue in Scranton. Friends may call at Our Lady of Peace Residence on Wednesday, February 1, between 3:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. A prayer service will be held at 4:00 p.m. Interment will follow Mass on Thursday at St. Catherine’s Cemetery in Moscow, PA.
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, Summer 2012 issue
Sister Maurice was baptized “Mary Jane.” The eldest of four children she took that responsibility very seriously. She was also a serious
student at St. Joseph School, a school staffed by the IHM Sisters.
Sister Maurice enjoyed the years she taught children. She often told stories of one of her first teaching experiences. Heat for her classroom
was provided by a pot belly stove, and it was her duty to build the fire each morning. A step back in time! Taken in stride! Later Sister Maurice especially enjoyed the many years she worked in the South.
Always “Jane” to the family, she was physically beautiful. That beauty was more than skin deep. She was always sensitive to the needs of others as well as sensitive to their feelings.
In our bedroom, growing up, we had a statue of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, a statue handed down from grandmother to mother to daughters. And there she taught me about her devotion to Mary.
In 1942 the country was at war. Unnecessary travel was considered unpatriotic. Jane decided to join the IHM Congregation, and rather than ask my dad to drive her to Scranton and return home alone, she took that journey on the bus by herself.
Sister Maurice lived and died very peacefully. Our nieces and nephews came from great distances for the prayer service and funeral. The gift
she gave them was a gift of peace, for they witnessed and talked about the love and support that all the sisters have for one another.
God grant her eternal rest.
by Lisbeth Hartnett, IHM
