Sister M. Carleen Boehlert, IHM

Sister M. Carleen Boehlert, IHM, of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary died on Tuesday, August 4, 2026, at Our Lady of Peace Residence in Scranton, PA.

Born on September 28, 1929, in Oneida, NY, and given the name Grace Therese, Sister Carleen was the daughter of the late Carl A. and Grace L. Bartell Boehlert. Prior to her joining the IHM Congregation, Sister Carleen earned a diploma as a registered nurse at Faxton Hospital School of Nursing in Utica, NY.  She entered the IHM Congregation on November 21, 1950, made temporary profession of her vows on August 2, 1953, and final profession of her vows on August 2, 1956. Sister Carleen received a Bachelor of Science degree in science from Marywood College; and completed the Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) program at Sacred Heart Hospital in Allentown, PA.

Sister Carleen served as an operating room nurse at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Carbondale, PA, from 1955 to 1956; and as a nurse anesthetist at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Carbondale, PA, from 1956 to 1982. She also served as a registered nurse at the Catholic Child Care Center in Hollidaysburg, PA, from 1972 to 1973. She was a health care coordinator at Friends of the Poor in Scranton, PA, from 1994 to 2017.

Sister Carleen devotedly served as the administrator of the Marian Convent in Scranton, PA, from 1982 to 1994. During her tenure, she provided loving care and support to the retired and infirm Sisters of IHM. Her commitment to her community and the well-being of her sisters exemplified her compassionate nature and deep faith.

From 2017 until the time of her death, Sister Carleen was a prayer minister at Our Lady of Peace Residence in Scranton.

She was preceded in death by three brothers, Edward (Ted), John C., and C. Richard (Dick); and three sisters, Frances Ironside, Mary Alice Lyons, and Barbara Potter. Sister Carleen is survived by two brothers, James of Vestal, NY, and William of Castroville, TX; and nieces and nephews. She is also survived by the members of the IHM Congregation.

The funeral will be Monday, August 10, at 11:00 a.m. with Mass of Christian Burial at Our Lady of Peace Residence, 1510 University Avenue in Dunmore, PA. Friends may call at Our Lady of Peace Residence on Monday, August 10, between 9:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. A prayer service will be held at 10:30 a.m. Interment will follow Mass on Monday at St. Catherine’s Cemetery in Moscow, PA.

Prayer and Funeral Mass

Reflection

Given by Sister Mary Elaine Anderson, IHM Leadership Team Member

Good morning to all who are present in this chapel and via livestream. Welcome to this Mass and celebration of the life of Sister Carleen Boehlert. A heartfelt welcome to Sister Carleen’s family, her brothers Jim and Bill, her nieces and nephews and extended family, to Carleen’s friends, to the sisters in Household 1C with whom she lived, and to all who are here from Friends of the Poor, especially Valley View Terrace, where Carleen spent many happy years ministering to and advocating for families and individuals.

Sister Carleen was born on September 28, 1929, in Oneida, New York. Her parents, Carl and Grace, gave her the name Grace Therese. She grew up in a loving family surrounded by her brothers Ted, John, Dick, Jim, and Bill and her sisters Frances, Mary Alice, and Barbara. A sister who knew Carleen well said that she loved visiting her family and spending time with them at Oneida Lake. She remembers how Carleen’s face would light up when she announced to the sisters in community: “I’m going up home.”

After graduating from high school, Grace, as she was known then, attended Faxton Hospital School of Nursing in Utica, New York, where she earned a diploma as a registered nurse. On November 21, 1950, on the Feast of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary… a feast which marks Mary’s total giving of herself to God… Grace entered the IHM Congregation, responding generously and selflessly to God’s call. She received the name Sister Carleen and made her temporary profession of vows on August 2, 1953, and her final profession on August 2, 1956.

From 1953 to 1956, Carleen practiced nursing, received a Bachelor of Science degree from Marywood College, and also completed the Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist Program at Sacred Heart Hospital in Allentown, PA. For the next 26 years, she ministered as a nurse anesthetist at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Carbondale, Pennsylvania. Those years were only interrupted once, when from 1970 to 1971, she worked as a supervisor at Catholic Child Care Center in Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania. I can’t help but wonder what need Carleen saw in Hollidaysburg. She must have felt called to go there, because if there is one thing I have learned about Carleen, it is that she was a person who was attentive to the needs of those around her and responded immediately and wholeheartedly.

One of the sisters who knew her well told me that Carleen “always wanted to go where the need was.”  We should not be surprised to hear that Carleen was instrumental in starting oncology at St. Joseph’s Hospital. She saw the need for people to receive chemotherapy in Carbondale rather than travel to Scranton, and she advocated for them!

Several sisters mentioned that Carleen had the capacity to be calm and present to people even in the midst of healthcare chaos. The patients at St. Joseph’s Hospital and our aging IHM sisters at the Marian Convent, where she was the Administrator for 12 years, trusted Carleen because she was understanding and compassionate and because they knew that “whatever the need was, she could take care of it.”  When faced with adversity, Carleen’s response was often, “It’s all good.”

As far back as 1968, Carleen made it known to the congregation’s leadership that she had a strong desire to work with the poor and the underprivileged. In September of 1968, responding to the ministry survey of the congregation, she wrote:

“I would surely like to work in mission areas—providing this work was associated with the care of the sick and the poor. I have a desire to extend myself to these individuals who are in dire need.”

Two sisters told me that they knew Carleen wanted to go to Vietnam during the war. Although I could not find any direct request from her to do so, I did find these words of Carleen, also in 1968.

“I would like to be able to volunteer for one of the programs which are presently being set up by the Catholic Medical Mission Board or the Catholic Relief Service.”

In 1994, Carleen’s desire to work with the most vulnerable came to fruition. Sister Adrian Barrett invited her to serve at Friends of the Poor. For 23 years, Carleen ministered as healthcare coordinator in the food pantry of Valley View Terrace, where she was revered by her clients. Having a special love for the children, she petitioned that a playground be constructed in Valley View. When it was finally built, the playground was dedicated in honor of Carleen for her many years of service to Friends of the Poor.

Today we give thanks for Carleen’s witness of unconditional and self-emptying love for all God’s people and especially for the sick, the poor, and those in dire need. Carleen’s passing is sad and painful, especially for her family and for those who knew her well. And yet her calm and serene spirit remains with us. She is watching us, and she wants us to know: “It’s all good.”   

On the day of her profession, Sister Carleen Boehlert signed a vow card, committing herself to a life of poverty, chastity and obedience. We place this card with her now, as an acknowledgement that this life of fidelity to God through her vows has been fulfilled.