Sister M. Devota Walsh, IHM

Sister M. Devota Walsh, IHM, of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary died on Sunday, August 4, 1963, at the Pittston Hospital in Pittston, PA.

She was born on July 16, 1892, in Scranton, PA, and given the name Evelyn. She was the daughter of the late Richard J. and Bridget F. Gilbride Walsh. Prior to entering the community, Evelyn was a teacher within the Scranton School District, and at International Correspondence School (ICS) in Scranton, PA, from 1912 to 1921. She entered the IHM Congregation on February 24, 1921, received the religious habit on August 2, 1921, and made profession of her vows on August 15, 1923.

Sister Devota served as a teacher at the following schools: Marywood Seminary in Scranton, PA, from 1921 to 1930; Our Lady Queen of Martyrs Elementary School in Forest Hills, NY, from 1930 to 1935; St. Charles Borromeo Elementary School in Sugar Notch, PA, from 1935 to 1940; St. Leo Elementary School in Ashley, PA, from 1940 to 1945; St. John the Evangelist Elementary School in Scranton, PA, from 1945 to 1953; St. Patrick Elementary School in Scranton, PA, from 1953 to 1954; St. John the Evangelist Elementary School in Pittston, PA, from 1954 to 1956; and St. Mary Elementary School in Avoca, PA, from 1956 to 1957.

From 1957 until the time of her death, Sister Devota was a prayer minister at St. Mary’s Convent in Avoca.

She was preceded in death by three brothers, Reverend James A., Major Ambrose F., and Richard V., and a sister, Isabella Walsh.

She is survived by four brothers, Michael, of Scranton, PA, Joseph, of Washington, DC, Norman, of East Organge, NJ, and Gerard, of Binghamton, NY; three sisters, Catherine Janssen and Mary Touhey, both of Scranton, PA, and Laura McLaughlin, of Philadelphia, PA; and several nieces and nephews.

The funeral will be Wednesday, August 7, at 9:30 a.m. with mass at St. Mary’s Church in Avoca. Interment will follow at St. Catherine’s Cemetery, Moscow, PA. Friends may call on Tuesday at St. Mary’s Convent, Avoca.

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Archival Remembrance:

Sister Devota Walsh was an outstanding public school teacher before she entered our community. Frequently, she was assigned to give demonstration lessons at teacher institutes. This fine experience she brought to religion, where she taught with great efficiency. Her wide reading was a continuing enrichment of her spiritual and professional life. Ill-health was her almost constant companion; but she was meticulous to her devotion to her religious life, and was really heroic in her determination to teach notwithstanding her pain and weakness. In her last years at Saint Mary’s, Avoca, even the priests and people expressed their edification at the effort she made to attend daily Mass and received Holy Communion, despite her evident suffering. Always prayerful, she spent many hours in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament, where she could unite pain and prayer. Suffering is one of the mysteries of our life, and to live and labor for God and neighbor in spite of suffering, demands great generosity of soul. This was the life of Sister Devota. May God grant her eternal rest.