Sister M. Laurentia Mayan, IHM
Sister M. Laurentia Mayan, IHM, of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary died on Wednesday, January 2, 2013, at Our Lady of Peace Residence in Scranton, PA.
She was born on April 16, 1917, in Danville, PA, and given the name Helen Louise. She was the daughter of the late Adam and Emma Hofer Mayan. She entered the IHM Congregation on February 2, 1940, made her temporary profession of vows on August 2, 1942, and her final profession of vows on August 2, 1945.
Sister Laurentia served as a teacher at the following schools: Nativity of Our Lord Elementary School in Scranton, PA, from 1942 to 1954; St. Rosalia Elementary School in Pittsburgh, PA, from 1954 to 1959; and St. Mary Elementary School in Manhasset, NY, from 1959 to 1961.
Sister served as principal at the following schools: St. Charles Elementary School in Sugar Notch, PA, in 1961; St. John the Evangelist Elementary School in Clinton, MD, from 1961 to 1966; Msgr. McHugh Elementary School in Cresco, PA, from 1966 to 1975; St. Mary Elementary School in Avoca, PA, from 1975 to 1982; and Notre Dame High School in East Stroudsburg, PA, from 1982 to 1988.
She also served as receptionist at St. Joseph’s Hospital/Marian Community Hospital in Carbondale, PA, from 1988 to 2005.
From 2005 until the time of her death, Sister Laurentia was a prayer minister at the Marian Convent and Our Lady of Peace Residence in Scranton.
She received a Bachelor of Science degree in education from Bloomsburg State College, and a Master of Arts degree in education from Marywood College.
She was preceded in death by four brothers, Adam, Gerald, Paul and Bishop Lawrence Schott, and two sisters, Louise Schott and Florence M. McWilliams.
She is survived by nieces and nephews.
The funeral will be Saturday, January 5, at 9:30 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 Friday, January 4, 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 Saturday 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 2013 issue
We love him because he first loved us. 1 John 4:19
Sister Laurentia was a very good friend. She was also a good listener. If you told her something in confidence, you knew it wasn’t going to be repeated. That’s one thing I liked about her.
She was a very spiritual, kind, caring and loving person. I think she gave “Mary, my Mother, my Confidence” badges to everyone she knew. She had great sayings too, like “make your own sunshine” and “every day above ground is a good one.”
I’ve known Laurentia for about twenty-five years and lived with her for about eighteen of those years. She was a great lady. She lived our values of joyful, loving, self-emptying service. She believed in peace at any cost.
If you knew Laurentia, you knew that she loved Chinese food, especially the seafood.
For as long as I knew her, we went for Chinese every month, same day of the month, same restaurant.
I know how much she was loved at Marian Community Hospital and especially in the X-ray and MRI departments. She was so easy to get along with.
A few years ago, Laurentia suffered a stroke which really confined her. She loved life to its fullest. Laurentia never complained, and when you visited her a smile came to her face.
I know she is looking down on us, and I know we can pray to her. I miss her and I miss going for Chinese food with her.
May you rest in peace, my friend. You are in my thoughts and prayers.
Final words of wisdom by Sister Laurentia: “Whenever you get into a tight spot and everything seems to turn against you, never give up then, for that is just the time and place the tide will turn.”
Blessings!
by Sister Anne McDonald, IHM
