Sister Dorothy Ann Haney, IHM
Sister Dorothy Ann Haney, IHM, (formerly known as Sister M. Marise) of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary died on Friday, February 14, 2020 at Wilkes-Barre General Hospital in Wilkes-Barre, PA.
She was born on February 4, 1932, in Brooklyn, NY, and was the daughter of the late Stewart and Mary Heaney Haney. She entered the IHM Congregation on September 8, 1950, made temporary profession of her vows on August 2, 1953, and final profession of her vows on August 2, 1956.
Sister Dorothy served as a teacher at the following schools: All Saints Elementary School in Masontown, PA, from 1953 to 1954; St. Paul Elementary School in Cranston, RI, from 1954 to 1957; St. Bernardine Elementary School in Baltimore, MD, from 1957 to 1959; and St. Rosalia High School in Pittsburgh, PA, from 1959 to 1962.
Sister served as a faculty member at Marywood Seminary High School in Scranton, PA, from 1962 to 1964; and Philosophy Department faculty member at Marywood College/University in Scranton, PA, from 1968 to 1976 and 1978 to 2010.
Sister Dorothy also served the IHM Congregation as southern sector superior (leadership team member) from 1976 to 1978; and volunteered at Our Lady of Peace Residence in Scranton, PA, from 2011 to 2018.
From 2018 until the time of her death, Sister Dorothy served as a prayer minister at Our Lady of Peace Residence.
She received a Bachelor of Arts degree in social science/English, and a Master of Science degree in religious studies, both from Marywood College; a Master of Arts degree in Philosophy, and a Doctor of Philosophy degree, both from Catholic University of America.
She is preceded in death by a brother, Leonard, his wife, Jane, and their son, Michael; and a sister, Margaret Rogers.
She is survived by nieces and a nephew; her beloved friend, Sister Margaret Gannon, IHM of Scranton, PA; and by the members of the IHM Congregation.
The funeral will be Wednesday, February 19, 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 Tuesday, February 18, between 3:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. A prayer service will be held at 4:00 p.m. Interment will follow Mass on Wednesday 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.
Funeral: https://video.ibm.com/recorded/125796677
Vespers: https://video.ibm.com/recorded/125789403
Reprinted from "In Memoriam" section of Journey, Spring 2020 issue
Sister Dorothy Ann Haney, IHM
Reflection given by Sister Ellen Maroney, IHM Congregation President, at Sister's funeral on February 19, 2020:
I Will Not Die an Unlived Life
I will not die an unlived life
I will not live in fear of falling
or of catching fire
I choose to inhabit my days,
to allow my living to open me,
making me less afraid,
more accessible;
to loosen my heart
so that it becomes a wing, a torch, a promise.
I choose to risk my significance,
to live so that which comes to me as seed
goes to the next as blossom
and that which comes to me as blossom
goes on as fruit.
Dawna Markova, I Will Not Die an Unlived Life:
Reclaiming Purpose and Passion
I believe this poem by writer Dawna Markova speaks to the essence of what it means to be fully human and certainly captures how Dorothy tried to live each day. Ever the philosopher, her question for the students in her classes, “What am I to do with my life to make the world a better place,” was also the cornerstone for her own commitment to live her life with a purpose, with passion, and with a commitment to make a contribution to our world.
Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, Dorothy was, as I said yesterday, a connector from birth. In a brief autobiography written a few years ago (entitled, “The Life and Times of Dorothy A. Haney – The Story of God’s Blessings in My Life”), she wrote about living together with her parents, sister and brother, aunt and uncle and maternal grandparents in one house for most of her childhood. She also told of her adventures with various friends throughout grade and high school and the close ties she and her family had with her beloved St. Ephrem’s school and parish communities, where she was introduced to the IHMs. These connections nurtured a vocation call that Dorothy would not refuse.
Dorothy’s decision to become a teacher came from a connection she made in eighth grade when an IHM sister taught her how to diagram sentences so well that she herself decided that was what she wanted to do too. She taught second graders, junior high and high school students, and college undergraduates in Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Maryland. Diagramming sentences expanded to religion, history, Latin and more, and finally to philosophy, which she taught at Marywood College/University for almost forty-two years. As an educator, Dorothy leaves a legacy of excellence, achievement, passion, high standards, caring, and commitment. So many, from grade school children to university presidents and beyond, were the recipients of her strong faith, intellectual curiosity, ready generosity, kind compassion, and humor. Dorothy was a gentle, genuine presence who knew and respected each individual as a blessed encounter.
That belief was the basis of Dorothy’s integrity and spirituality. Her quiet, joy-filled, and welcoming spirit came from her deep inner trust and faith in a God she loved deeply and who, she came to understand, loved her in the same way. Dorothy lifted us Godward through her goodness while at the same time revealing her own inner strength and beauty. She had the knack of engaging others, friend or stranger, in conversation that would leave an indelible mark on each person. Her keen intelligence sparked her life-long love of learning and her acute interest in what was happening in the world, and she was not afraid to share her opinions! She taught us much about being a person of integrity. In conversations, faculty meetings, and congregation meetings, she would speak her truth with clarity and logic and always with respect toward those who disagreed with her. She never let possible consequences deter her from doing or saying what she believed to be right, and she demonstrated that courage throughout her life.
I said before that Dorothy was a connector, of ideas and people. Her circle of relationships was ever-expending and she treasured her connections
for the life and joy they gave and were given. Her inner strength came from her deep faith and was also rooted in the love of her family and friends, especially Margaret, her dear friend for 58 years.
So we give thanks today that Dorothy is now at home with her God and enjoying eternal life with her parents, Mary and Stewart, her brother, Len, and his wife, Jane, and their son, Michael, and her sister, Marge, and other family members who preceded her in death. Imagine the joy of that reunion last Friday! I am pretty sure that Dorothy did not tune in to watch her funeral on the heavenly TV today because she’s probably engrossed in a discussion with Hegel or Schumacher somewhere. We pray for all of us who are already missing Dorothy and her irreplaceable way: Gerry, Theresa Mary, and Margaret, her nieces, the sisters at Shalom and Household 3 A here, all her IHM sisters, her students, her many wonderful friends, and all who knew her. The following adaptation of a reflection by author and presenter, Melanie Svoboda, SND, captures our gratitude for Dorothy’s holy life:
You were home to us and within the shelter of
your good company, we safely laid our
burdens down.
You were healing for us as you listened to what
we had to say and, in so doing, we were made
more whole.
You allowed us to be our true selves and because
of you, we are more of whom we want to be.
You encouraged us not merely by your words,
but by the example of your own strivings,
questionings, and yearnings.
You challenged us, our beliefs, and values
with your persistence, and helped us learn
that our differences broadened our
perspectives, spurred our growth, and, yes, at
times, honed our patience.
You were our advocate, our compass, our
cheerleader, our light.
You were a priceless gift for us, one we did not
earn, but one we received with wonder, joy,
and gratitude.
You were our friend.
Margaret will now place the scriptures on Dorothy’s casket, for indeed, Dorothy heard the Word of God, she staked her life upon it, and received life to the full... the Word now beckons Dorothy home.
