Obituary

 

Sister M. Wilhelmina Hill, IHM

Sister M. Wilhelmina Hill, IHM, of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary died on Saturday, March 14, 2009 at Our Lady of Peace Residence in Scranton, Pennsylvania.

She was born on February 12, 1911 in Pittsburgh, PA, and given the name Jane. She was the daughter of the late William J. and Jane McGuiness Hill. She entered the IHM Congregation on September 8, 1929, made temporary profession of her vows on April 21, 1932, and final profession of her vows on August 2, 1935.

Sister Wilhelmina served as a music teacher for sixty years, and taught at the following schools: Epiphany Elementary School in Sayre, PA, from 1932 to 1938 and 1950 to 1951; St. Dominic Elementary School in Oyster Bay, NY, from 1938 to 1939; St. John Elementary School in Susquehanna, PA, from 1939 to 1944; St. Bernardine Elementary School in Baltimore, MD, from 1961 to 1962; St. Rosalia Elementary School and High School in Pittsburgh, PA, from 1962 to 1967; Holy Angels Elementary School in Hayes, PA, from 1967 to 1969; and at St. John the Baptist Elementary School in Pittsburgh, PA, from 1969 to 1977.

Sister Wilhelmina served as principal at St. Bernard Elementary School in Hastings, PA, from 1954 to 1955, and at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Elementary School in Altoona, PA, from 1955 to 1961.

Sister also served as a catechetical instructor at Holy Name of Mary Catechetical Center in Montrose, PA, from 1944 to 1950 and 1951 to 1954; private piano teacher at St. Rosalia School in Pittsburgh, PA, from 1977 to 1992; support staff member at the Marian Convent in Scranton, PA, from 1992 to 1999; and support staff member at the IHM Center in Scranton, PA, from 2000 to 2004.

From 2004 to the time of her death, Sister Wilhelmina was a prayer minister at the Marian Convent and at Our Lady of Peace Residence, both in Scranton.

She received a Bachelor of Music degree from Marywood College.

She was preceded in death by four sisters, Geraldine C., Mary B., Irene R., and Esther E. Murray, a brother, Reverend William B. Hill, S.J., and a nephew, Charles Murray.

She is survived by a niece, Jane Flaherty of Pittsburgh, PA.

The funeral will be Tuesday, March 17, 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 Monday, March 16, between 3:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. A prayer service will be held at 4:30 p.m. Interment will be follow Mass on Tuesday 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, Fall 2009 issue
 
 
When Sister Wilhelmina left us after almost a century of a rich and fruitful life, I felt bereft, as she was “family” to me and my siblings — the last link to our parents’ generation, as well as sister, mentor, and friend. The Hill family of Pittsburgh’s Mount Washington section and the McGraw family (my mother’s), were good friends since 1910. Each family had a boy named William (Bill) who became priests. When our Uncle Bill died suddenly in 1953, Fr. Bill Hill became our surrogate uncle and was there for us till the end of his life.

Sister Wilhelmina belonged to a close and loving family who could be called “classy”! In community, sister provided hospitality with “class” and grace whenever visitors came to call and always gave an extra warm welcome to my dad, who was a frequent guest at St. Rosalia’s in his last years. She showed that same grace in greeting visitors to the IHM Center and the Marian Convent during her ministry as receptionist for those residences.

To live with Sister Wilhelmina was to share life with a person who loved to be part of what was going on around her. Until her final days, she maintained a keen interest in world, church, community and family concerns. She was teacher, catechist, principal, musician and administrator, but musician most of all, still giving music lessons and presenting recitals into her last year on mission.

Of all the things Sister Wilhelmina was to many people, I am sure the most important for her was to have been a faithful Sister, Servant of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. The most important blessing to us who received her friendship was her presence and example. Enjoy a happy eternity with all those who went before you, Wilhelmina, and remember to save us a place!

by Babette Opferman, IHM