Sister M. Oswald Bissell, IHM

Sister M. Oswald Bissell, IHM, of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary died on Wednesday, August 10, 1960 at the Marian Convent in Scranton, PA.

She was born on May 10, 1868 in Cumberland, WV, and given the name Mary. She was the daughter of the late Demetrice and Sara Coon Bissell. She entered the IHM Congregation on June 7, 1899, received the religious habit on October 3, 1889, and made profession of her vows on August 2, 1891.

Sister Oswald served as domestic at the following: Annunciation Convent in Williamsport, PA; Laurel Hill Academy in Susquehanna, PA; Immaculate Conception Convent in Lock Haven, PA; St. Paul’s Convent in Edgewood, RI; St. Joseph’s Hospital in Carbondale, PA; and St. Joseph’s Children’s and Maternity Hospital in Scranton, PA.

From 1956 until the time of her death, Sister Oswald served as a prayer minister at the Marian Convent.

She was preceded in death by a sister, Genevieve Brant.

She is survived by a niece, Mary Helen Kelly of Cumberland, MD.

The fuenral will be on Friday, August 12 at 9:30 a.m. in the Chapel of the Marian Convent, followed by interment at St. Catherine’s Cemetery, Moscow, PA. Friends may call on Thursday after 2 p.m. at the Marian Convent.

Archival Remembrance:

At the time of her death, Sister M. Oswald was in the seventieth year of her religious profession. Becoming a religious was not an easy path for her, since her non-Catholic family could not share in her desire to consecrate herself to God’s service. Moreover, she came to our novitiate in 1889, when the Johnstown Flood made it necessary for her to travel from her home in Cumberland, West Virginia to Buffalo, New York, and then on to Scranton. Her early years in religion were marked by serious illness; but she surmounted all difficulties, and labored hard to serve God in her assigned tasks. Hers was a charitable, gentle mind which saw only the good around her. She was naturally silent and easily smiled her way to all who came in contact with her. We pray that a loving welcome awaited her in eternity as she gently gave over to God’s keeping her many decades of fidelity to His holy service.