Sister M. Augusta Fleming, IHM
Sister M. Augusta Fleming, IHM, of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary died on Wednesday, December 6, 1944.
She was born on August 15, 1879 in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, and given the name Mary Elizabeth. She was the daughter of the late Anthony and Catherine Connell Fleming. She entered the IHM Congregation on July 2, 1904, received the religious habit on December 8, 1904, and made profession of her vows on December 27, 1906.
Sister Augusta enjoyed her years of teaching children in our IHM mission schools, including at St. Mary of the Mount School in Pittsburgh, PA.
She is preceded in death by three sisters, Agnes, Ada, and Margaret Lynch, and two brothers, James and John.
She is survived by sister a Ellen of Pittston, PA, and two brothers George of Scranton, PA, and Thomas of Pittston, PA, nieces and nephews.
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.
"In 1910 the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart were called to the Pittsburg (sic) Diocese. Reverend E. P. Griffin, a zealous priest and Superior of the Pittsburg Apostolate, with the consent of the Right Reverend J. F. Regis Canevin, D.D., applied to the motherhouse, Scranton, for Sisters to take charge of the school of Saint Mary's of the Mount. Consent was gladly given and the mission was opened January, 1910. On January 6th, the Feast of the Epiphany, the members of the new community were summoned to Mount Saint Mary's. They were Sister M. Berchmans, Superior, Sister M. Raymond, Sister M. Cornelia, Sister M. Delphina, Sister M. Augusta, Sister M. Maurice, Sister M. Ferdinand and Sister M. Paulinus. Mass was said that morning in the chapel of the seminary by the Right Reverend Bishop Hoban, who addressed the little band of missionaries, bidding them God-speed and giving them his blessing. That afternoon, accompanied by Mother Cyril and Sister M. Leo, they left Mount Saint Mary's.
The Sisters arrived in Pittsburg Friday morning and were met at the station by Reverend E. P. Griffin and Reverend William P. Dunlea."
Excerpted from The Sisters of the I.H.M.: The Story of The Founding of The Congregation of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary and Their Work In The Scranton Diocese by Sister M. Immaculata Gillespie, IHM, P.J. Kenedy & Sons, NY, 1921, p. 324
