Sister M. Oswald Bissell, IHM
Sister M. Oswald Bissell, IHM, of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary died on Wednesday, August 10, 1960 at the Marian Convent in Scranton, Pennsylvania.
She was born on May 10, 1868 in Cumberland, West Virginia, and given the name Mary. She was the daughter of the late Demetrice and Sara Coon Bissell. She entered the IHM Congregation on June 7, 1899, received the religious habit on October 3, 1889, and made profession of her vows on August 2, 1891.
Sister Oswald served as domestic at the following convents: Annunciation in Williamsport, PA; St. John in Susquehanna, PA; Immaculate Conception in Lock Haven, PA; St. Paul in Edgewood, RI; St. Joseph's Hospital in Carbondale, PA; and St. Joseph's Children's and Maternity Hospital in Scranton, PA.
From 1956 until the time of her death, Sister Oswald served as a prayer minister at the Marian Convent.
Interment is at St. Catherine’s Cemetery in Moscow, Pennsylvania.
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.
Archival Remembrance:
At the time of her death, Sister M. Oswald was in the seventieth year of her religious profession. Becoming a religious was not an easy path for her, since her non-Catholic family could not share in her desire to consecrate herself to God's service. Moreover, she came to our novitiate in 1889, when the Johnstown Flood made it necessary for her to travel from her home in Cumberland, West Virginia, to Buffalo, and then to Scranton. Her early years in religion were marked by serious illness; but she surmounted all difficulties, and labored hard to serve God in her assigned tasks. Hers was a charitable, gentle mind which saw only the good around her. She was naturally silent and easily smiled her way to all who came in contact with her. We pray that a loving welcome awaited her in eternity as she gently gave over to God's keeping her many decades of fidelity to His holy service.
