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In Memory

Sister Margaret Mary Kane, IHM

June 2, 1939 – April 23, 2013

Sister Margaret Mary Kane, IHM, (formerly known as Sister St. Margaret Mary) of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary died on Tuesday, April 23, 2013, at Jefferson Hospital in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

She was born on June 2, 1939, in Wilkes-Barre, PA, and given the name Rose Ann. She was the daughter of the late Thomas Richard and Margaret Gibbons Kane. She entered the IHM Congregation on September 8, 1956, made temporary profession of her vows on March 12, 1959, and final profession of her vows on March 12, 1964.

Sister Margaret Mary served as a teacher at the following schools: St. John the Evangelist Elementary School in Binghamton, NY, from 1959 to 1965; St. Patrick Elementary School in Scranton, PA, from 1965 to 1967 and 1975 to 1978; Holy Trinity Elementary School in Poughkeepsie, NY, from 1967 to 1970; Our Lady of Mercy Elementary School in Forest Hills, NY, from 1970 to 1975; and at Notre Dame Elementary School in East Stroudsburg, PA, from 2007 to 2013.

Sister served as principal at the following schools: Holy Name of Jesus Elementary School in Forty Fort, PA, from 1978 to 1980; Our Lady of Grace Montessori School in Manhasset, NY, from 1980 to 1989; and St. Clare Elementary School in Scranton, PA, from 1989 to 2007.

Sister Margaret Mary was a certified Montessori Teacher in the states of New York and Pennsylvania. She served on various diocesan committees and also as a consultant for the Center for Montessori Teacher Education for the state of New York.

From 2007 until the time of her death, Sister Margaret Mary served as Montessori Pre-Primary Teacher at Notre Dame School in East Stroudsburg, PA.

She received a Bachelor of Science degree in educatio and a Master of Science degree in education, both from Marywood College.

She is preceded in death by four brothers, Thomas, Joseph, Gerard, and Dr. Dennis, and five sisters, Alice Gallagher, Helen Simoson, Kathryn Schaal, Sister Gabriel, IHM, and Margaret Mary Williams.

She is survived by a brother, Frank E. Kane (wife Virginia) of Ponte Vedra, FL, and two sisters, Rita K. Stuewe (husband Dennis) of Somerset, NJ and Sister Mary Alice, IHM, of East Stroudsburg, PA, and nieces and nephews.

The funeral will be Monday, April 29, at 11:00 a.m. with Mass of Christian Burial at the IHM Center, 2300 Adams Avenue in Scranton. Friends may call at the IHM Center on Sunday, April 28, between 3:00 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. A prayer service will be held at 4:00 p.m. Interment will follow Mass on Monday at St. Catherine’s Cemetery in Moscow, PA.

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, Fall 2013 issue

The spark, given by God, however small it might be, causes a great crackling; it is the beginning of a great fire. – St. Teresa of Avila

It’s been said that “The heart of a servant is the sanctuary of God.” I can’t help but believe that such was the heart of Sister Margaret Mary Kane, IHM. Sister was born into a family of what would become a “baker’s dozen”—thirteen children born to Thomas and Margaret Kane. It was within the framework of our family that she learned and developed many of the fortifying and enriching skills and aptitudes with which all of us were blessed, growing up in our home.

During her short lifetime of seventy-three years, “Rose” as we all fondly called her, lived her life with a remarkable passion for spreading God’s unconditional love, with a compassion that knew no bounds, and with a tremendous sense of humor, generosity, and kindness. Everyone who knew her would attest to the fact that it was a blessing and a privilege to share in her legacy of life and love and friendship.

Sister Margaret Mary was a great storyteller. Her sharp-witted mind could create a story that would mesmerize not only students but adults as well. She loved to make people laugh and we all looked forward to hearing her stories that, many times conveyed exaggerated happenings, but nonetheless, were absolutely entertaining. Her sense of humor was “catchy.”

Sister Margaret Mary loved her family, her religious community, and “her children.” As an extraordinary educator, she possessed an uncanny ability to make every child in school believe “that she/he was the best little girl/boy in the whole wide world.” Trained in the hands on, let-each-child-develop-at-his-own-personal-best Montessori method, Rose worked hard to continually improve the learning environment for her students. She taught all of us to live with gusto, humor and compassion. She taught us how to die with courage, peace, and patient abandonment to the will of God. She was indeed a woman of prayer and deep faith, ever giving and forgiving, proclaiming the Good News of God’s unconditional love for all by the witness of her life. She saw Christ in each and every person she encountered and she, in turn, was the Face of Christ to them.

Margaret Mary’s heart was the sanctuary of God in which she carried the fire of God and the Good News of God’s unconditional love to all! I believe that sister has left behind her spark of fire which will be the beginning of a great fire somewhere in this world.

As long as we shall live, I very much doubt that we’ll ever meet another person quite like Sister Margaret Mary Kane. Rest in His peace and love, Rose!

by Sister Mary Alice Kane, IHM

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