Sister M. Clementia Bradford, IHM
Sister M. Clementia Bradford, IHM, of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary died on Friday, December 22, 2006 at Our Lady of Peace Residence in Scranton, Pennsylvania.
She was born on July 27, 1907, in New York, NY, and given the name Margaret M. She was the daughter of the late Jeremiah and Mary Collins Bradford. She entered the IHM Congregation on October 2, 1923, made her temporary profession of vows on August 15, 1925, and final profession of her vows on December 8, 1930.
Sister Clementia served as a teacher at the following schools: Immaculate Conception Elementary School in Lock Haven, PA, from 1927 to 1936 and 1944 to 1948; St. Rita Elementary School in Dundalk, MD, from 1936 to 1938; St. Patrick Elementary School in Spangler, PA, from 1938 to 1939; St. Mary of the Mount Elementary School in Pittsburgh, PA, from 1939 to 1943; St. Joseph Elementary School in Renovo, PA, from 1943 to 1944; St. Paul Elementary School in Cranston, RI, from 1948 to 1955; Our Lady of Good Counsel Elementary School in Innwood, NY, from 1955 to 1957; St. Ephrem Elementary School in Brooklyn, NY, from 1957 to 1959; St. Mary Elementary School in Manhasset, NY, from 1959 to 1960; St. Raymond Elementary School in East Rockaway, NY, from 1960 to 1964; St. Peter of Alcantara Elementary School in Port Washington, NY, from 1964 to 1965; St. Rose Elementary School in Carbondale, PA, from 1965 to 1974; and at St. Ambrose Elementary School in Bridgeport, CT, from 1974 to 1982.
From 1982 to until the time of her death, Sister Clementia served as a prayer minister at the Marian Convent and at Our Lady of Peace Residence.
She received a Bachelor’s degree in education from Marywood College, and a Master’s degree in education from St. John’s University.
She was preceded in death by a brother, James and two sisters, Mary Bell and Nora Higgins.
She is survived by a sister, Helen Collins of Bayside, NY, and four nephews, John Collins of Floral Park, NY, Kevin Collins of Jupiter, FL, Martin Higgins of Whitestone, NY, and John Higgins of Mullica Hills, NJ.
The funeral will be on Wednesday, December 27, at 10:30 a.m. with Mass of Christian Burial at Our Lady of Peace Residence, 2300 Adams Avenue in Scranton. Interment will follow Mass on Wednesday at St. Catherine's Cemetery, Moscow. Friends may call at Our Lady of Peace Residence on Tuesday, December 26, between 3:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.
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 2007 issue
Knowing Sr. Clementia was near to death, I went to Our Lady of Peace to be with her and pray over her. I felt an urge to tell her how much I remembered her for her sense of fun and kindness to me and others some 50 years ago. She died the next day.
We were six young, newly professed sisters in a house of 14. We thought of ‘Clem’ as being one of our senior sisters (Over 40 and too old to be called "Clem" to her face!)
All the sisters in this Rhode Island convent were good and kind to us, but Clem was special - always thinking up fun activities: swimming in Narragansett Bay, boating to Block Island, a walk through the park in the snow, movies, you name it. And I stand here now, 50 years later, and say, “Thank you. You are beautiful.”
Then there was baseball - the Boston Red Sox to be exact. Apparently they were the love of Clem’s life and a contagious love at that. It so happened that the semaphores went on the blink and were out of order for three months. We had to cross a major five-point highway to and from school every day. Being an Irish community and used to Irish police officers directing traffic, we were all a bit chagrined by the morning traffic policeman; he was as cold as ice! No amount of greetings seemed to thaw his stony face - until baseball season (I presume that it was the World Series) began. Sr. Clementia couldn’t contain her enthusiasm and our unfriendly cop couldn’t contain his awe at this bit of a nun so keen on baseball stats and games.
So, Sr. Clementia, you put that smile on his face and ours, and I thank you.
by Sr. Jacquelin Servick, IHM
