Sister M. LaSalle Hess, IHM
Sister M. LaSalle Hess, IHM, of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary died on Tuesday, November 16, 1993 at the Marian Convent in Scranton, PA, after a long illness.
She was born on June 26, 1906 in New York, New York, and given the name Anna. She was the daughter of the late William Raphael and Freida Schwartz Hess. She entered the Congregation on September 8, 1934, receved the religious habit on April 30, 1935, and made her profession of vows on May 3, 1937.
Sister LaSalle served as a teacher at the following school: St. Michael's School for Boys in Hoban Heights, PA; All Saints Elementary School in Masontown, PA; Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Elementary School in Asbury Park, NJ; St. Rita Elementary School in Dundalk, MD; as well as at elementary schools located in Lock Haven, PA; and New York, NY.
From 1977 until the time of her death, Sister LaSalle has served as a prayer minister at the Marian Convent.
She was preceded in death by four brothers, George, William, John, and Raymond, and a sister, Mary.
She is survived by a sister, Agnes Carley, and a brother, Gerard, both of Staten Island, NY, 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.
Archival Remembrance:
On November 16, Sr. LaSalle entered eternal life after a long period of illness.
Rooted in the Alphonsian tradition in her home parish at St. Alphonsus in New York City, she was drawn at an early age to follow Christ the Redeemer. Sr. LaSalle, born June 26, 1906, was the daughter of the late William Raphael and Freida Schwartz Hess. She entered the Congregation on September 8, 1934, was received into the novitiate on April 30, 1935 and made her profession of vows on May 3, 1937.
She lived out well the self-emptying spirit of the Alphonsian tradition in her service to the boys at Saint Michael's School in Hoban Heights, for 14 years, as well as in other schools in Lock Haven and Masontown, PA; Asbury Park, NJ; Dundalk, MD; and New York.
A resident of the Marian Convent for 16 years, Sr. LaSalle was drawn into the mystery of the Redemption through the great suffering she endured from arthritic pain. Faithful to her "prayer bag," which contained her treasured aids to daily prayer, her moments of spiritual communion nourished her well through her suffering. Most special to her among these treasures were devotions to St. Alphonsus and Our Lady of Perpetual Help. Surely she must have felt these spiritual companions were waiting to welcome her to eternal life as she let go of life in a most peaceful, quiet manner at the Marian.
