Sister Mary Anita O’Sullivan, IHM

Sister Mary Anita O’Sullivan, IHM, of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary died on Friday, September 13, 1963, at the Marian Convent in Scranton.

She was born on March 27, 1885 in New York City, New York, and given the name Ellen. She was the daughter of the late William and Annie McMenamin (Mulligan) O’Sullivan. Ellen’s love of the IHM Sisters was fostered in part by two maternal aunts, Sister Aquinas, IHM, and Sister Augustine, IHM. She entered the IHM Congregation on April 26, 1902, received the religious habit on July 31, 1902, and made profession of her vows on August 2, 1904.

Sister Mary Anita served as a teacher at the following schools: St. John the Evangelist Elementary School in Pittston, PA, from 1903 to 1910 and 1920 to 1927; St. Lawrence Elementary School in Portland, OR, from 1910 to 1912; IHM Academy in Coeur d’Alene, ID, from 1912 to 1917; St. Joseph Elementary School in Spokane, WA, from 1917 to 1918; St. Andrew Elementary School in Portland, OR, from 1918 to 1910; St. John the Evangelist Elementary School in Scranton, PA, from 1919 to 1920; St. Ephrem Elementary School in Brooklyn, NY, from 1927 to 1934; St. Leo Elementary School in Ashley, PA, from 1934 to 1938; St. Peter of Alcantara Elementary School in Port Washington, NY, from 1938 to 1941; and St. Dominic Elementary School in Oyster Bay, NY, from 1941 to 1960.

From 1960 until the time of her death, Sister Mary Anita served in prayer ministry at the Marian Convent.

She is preceded in death by two half-sisters, Annie Mulligan and Catharine Mulligan, a brother, Thomas F. O’Sullivan, and two aunts, Sister M. Aquinas McMenamin, IHM, and Sister M. Augustine McMenamin, IHM.

Interment is 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.

Archival Remembrance:

A visitor to our Marian Convent is almost certain to be told of one or many of the kind acts performed by Sister Mary Anita O’Sullivan for the well-being of our Sisters in residence there. It was not easy for Sister Mary Anita to “give up” her teaching apostolate. She loved school and was happiest when she was entrusted with a large class. To leave the classroom with no prospect of returning to it demanded great resignation on her part. Her first days of retirement made great demands on her; but her fine spirituality rose gradually over her personal preferences. She clearly saw that God had offered her a challenging opportunity to do good to others. Some more needy than the little ones she had taught for so long and so well. New strength came to her, and she became an angel of service to many. As a teacher, she was meticulous; the children caught some of the perfection of her fine penmanship, her insistence on form as well as on content, her care of their best interests, as she lavished on them the solicitude of her spiritual motherhood. In her last days, the sick and the aged won her loving care, and like the thousands of children she taught, they too call her blessed. May God grant eternal rest to Sister Mary Anita who reflected His love to the little ones of our schools and to our revered Sisters at the Marian Convent.