Sister Patricia Woll, IHM
Sister Patricia Woll, IHM, (formerly known as Sister M. Aniceta) of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, died on Saturday, December 28, 2013, at Our Lady of Peace Residence in Scranton.
She was born on November 26, 1931, in Danville, PA. She was the daughter of the late William and Theresa Kremer Woll. She entered the IHM Congregation on September 8, 1950, and made her temporary profession of vows on August 2, 1953, and her final profession of vows on August 2, 1956.
Sister Patricia served as a teacher in the following schools: Holy Angels Elementary School in Pittsburgh, PA, from 1953 to 1954; St. Mary Elementary School in Patton, PA, from 1954 to 1955; St. Mary Elementary School in Pittston, PA, from 1955 to 1957; Our Lady of Mount Carmel Elementary School in Altoona, PA, from 1957 to 1960; St. Leo Elementary School in Ashley, PA, from 1960 to 1968; St. Ephrem Elementary School in Brooklyn, NY, from 1968 to 1971 and 1984 to 1994; Sacred Heart of Mary Elementary School in Jermyn, PA, from 1971 to 1972; St. Patrick Elementary School in Scranton, PA, from 1972 to 1978; St. Agnes Elementary School in Baltimore, MD, from 1978 to 1984; St. Mary of the Assumption Elementary School in Upper Marlboro, MD, from 1994 to 1995; and St. Peter of Alcantra Elementary School in Port Washington, NY, from 1995 to 1996.
She also served as assistant to the director of the IHM Art Studio in Scranton, PA, from 1996 to 1999. Sister Patricia was an artist and created art for IHM Congregation publications as well as arts and crafts for the IHM Heartworks Boutique at Our Lady of Peace Residence. Sister was an instructor at the IHM Educational Enrichment Institute at the IHM Center in Scranton, PA, from 2001 to 2011.
From 2011 until the time of her death, Sister Patricia served as a prayer minister at Our Lady of Peace Residence in Scranton.
She received a bachelor of science degree and a master of arts degree in education from Marywood College.
She is preceded in death by nine siblings, Theodore, William, Edward, Theresa Talone, Loretta Linthicum, Donald, Bernard, Harold, and James.
She is survived by nieces, nephews, grandnieces, and grandnephews.
The funeral will be Friday, January 3, 2014, 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 Thursday, January 2, between 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. A prayer service will be held at 3:00 p.m. Interment will follow Mass on Friday 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, Spring 2014 issue
Anyone who knew Sister Patricia Woll knew one thing about her; she was creative. From her days in the Marian Convent Art Studio to her coming to Our lady of Peace as a resident, she turned out many beautiful works of art for IHM publications as well as crafts to be sold at our gift shop, Heartworks. Outside of religious-themed pictures, Pat loved to draw dogs. I think she drew every dog in existence. This love, especially of kittens and puppies, spilled over to the TV channel “Animal Planet,” Pat’s favorite channel, and to her favorite programs, “Cats 101” and ‘Dogs 101”. One of the crafts that she derived pleasure from fashioning was the wreaths, especially Christmas wreaths, and they were truly beautiful. Pat also dabbled in jewelry-making during these years.
Patricia was the youngest of ten children, 7 boys and 3 girls. In her drawings of Saint Joseph, she often used as her model a picture of her brother William, who was killed during WWII. Jim, another brother, was also artistic, but Pat always said that Jim drew better than she did. Maybe, yes; maybe, no.
My friendship with Pat goes back to the 1960s when we were both stationed at Saint Leo’s in Ashley. All through the years since, she has remained a faithful friend to me. We both weathered many ups and downs of life but managed to help each other through them. As Pat was becoming more ill and just one month before she died, I found on the cushion of my chair a half-sheet of paper upon which was printed an Arabian proverb:
A friend is one to whom One may pour out All the contents of one’s heart,
Chaff and grain together,
Knowing that the gentlest of hands Will take and sift it,
Keep what is worth keeping and With the breath of kindness,
Blow the rest away.
At the bottom in scratchy writing were the words, “Love, Pat.”
by Sister Jean Conaty, IHM
