Sister Mary Dawson, IHM

Sister Mary Dawson, IHM, (formerly known as Sister Mary of Nazareth) of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary died on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, at Our Lady of Peace Residence in Scranton, PA.

Born on March 14, 1939, in Scranton, PA, Sister Mary was the daughter of the late William and Mary Langan Dawson. She entered the IHM Congregation on September 7, 1956, made temporary profession of her vows on March 12, 1959, and final profession of her vows on March 12, 1964.  Sister Mary received a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Marywood College, and a Master of Science degree in education from the University of Portland.

Sister Mary served as a teacher at the following schools: Our Lady of Lourdes Catechetical Center in Tobyhanna, PA, from 1959 to 1960; St. Paul Elementary School in Scranton, PA, from 1960 to 1965; and St. Henry Elementary School in Portland, OR, from 1965 to 1969.

Sister served as principal at the following schools: St. Joseph Elementary School in Danville, PA, from 1969 to 1971; St. Raymond Elementary School in East Rockaway, NY, from 1971 to 1978; and Our Lady of Peace Elementary School in Clarks Green, PA, from 1978 to 1981.

Sister Mary served as curriculum coordinator and director of curriculum and instruction for the Diocese of Rockville Centre, New York, from 1986 to 1991.

Sister also served on the leadership team for the IHM Congregation, from 1986 to 1990; administrator at Our Lady of Grace Center in Manhasset, NY, from 1991 to 2005; assistant director of the elementary department at National Catholic Education Association in Washington, DC, from 2006 to 2007; as a volunteer in the office of Missioning and Programming at NativityMiguel Network of Schools in Washington, DC, from 2007 to 2010; as a volunteer at the Spanish Catholic Center in Washington, DC, from 2010 to 2011; and as a volunteer at Friends of the Poor in Scranton, PA, from 2011 to 2014.

From 2014 until the time of her death, Sister Mary was a prayer minister at Our Lady of Peace Residence in Scranton.

A cherished family member, Sister Mary spent every holiday surrounded by her family, creating traditions, laughter, and lasting memories with her cousin, Sue, and Sue’s children, Richard, Christopher, Robert, Michele, Thomas, and her Goddaughter, Deirdre, along with their spouses and families. She played an integral role in the upbringing of Sue’s children and was a constant source of guidance, love, and support. Holiday celebrations were often shared with cousins Pati Taylor, Scott Taylor, and Mary Nicolato-Ingoglia

She was predeceased by her parents, her cousin Sue, and Aunt Mil, as well as by many cousins, aunts, and uncles with whom she now reunites in eternal peace.

Sister Mary is survived by a goddaughter, Deirdre Gaspari; cousins and extended family on the East Coast and West Coast; dear friend, Sister Therese O’Rourke, IHM; and by the members of the IHM Congregation.

The funeral will be Wednesday, January 28, 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 Wednesday, January 28, between 9:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. A prayer service will be held at 10:30 a.m. Interment will be at a later date at St. Catherine’s Cemetery in Moscow, PA

Prayer and Funeral

Reflection

Given by Sister Therese O’Rourke, IHM

It is my pleasure to welcome you here to this beautiful chapel to celebrate the precious life of my dear friend, Mary Dawson. A special welcome to her family members: Deirdre Davis Gaspari, godchild of Sister Mary and a treasured friend, Deirdre‘s husband Jonathan, and their children Grace and Graham, Boby Davis, brother of Deirdre… both children of Mary’s cousin, Sue and Scott Taylor, son of Mary’s cousin, Chuck Taylor.

That’s the Langan side, once Long Islanders… now living or raising families in places as distant as Texas, Mexico, and upstate New York.

On the Dawson side, Mary was a well-loved family member of her Olyphant cousins. With us today are Mary Catherine Walsh and Randy Nolan, her husband Mary Catherine is the daughter of Mary’s cousin Mil. Mil’s sister, Mary Hoban, and her husband, Mike, are with us today via video stream. They live in Maryland and were dearly loved by Sister Mary.

You may well wonder how an only child who lost her dad when she was 6 and her mom in her early teens ended up with many family members who loved her unconditionally.

She spent lots of time with her cousins after her mother died, and they became like
siblings to her. Their children are like nieces and nephews.

Mary came to all of my family events. My parents and siblings considered her family, and my parents’ 27 grandchildren have been calling and texting me just to share memories…and laughs. Several of them are here today.

The day after Mary’s passing, I received a call from an old friend of Mary’s.  Her father was a close friend of Mary’s dad. He always worried about Mary. The friend, Patty Lawler, visited Mary, who was a young sister at St. Paul’s, and went home and called her own father. She told him to stop worrying about Mary. “She is so happy as an IHM sister. She is right where she belongs.”

After Mary’s mother died, it was our Sister Faith Brown who mothered her and even made her a prom dress. No wonder Mary came to us.

If she had one glowing characteristic that drew people to her, it was her genuine happiness. Joy radiated from her. Her quick wit and sense of humor certainly did not hurt either.

I lived and worked with Mary at St. Raymond’s school in East Rockaway. We had more than 1100 students at the time. In the past few weeks, former teachers, parents, friends, and students responded to the formal notice about Mary’s death…hundreds of them responded…

Here is a very short summary:

-Such a beautiful person, inside and out

-She will be missed by so many

-So happy we renewed our relationship when I was an adult

-She was a legend in education, and to those of us who were privileged to be her students, we were the most blessed because she changed our lives for the better

-She was so special-I have such great memories of St Raymond’s.

-Always had a smile, a laugh, and a good word for all

-Thank you, dear Sister Mary.

Our pastor was Msgr. Gerry Ryan. He and Mary were great friends, hence his picture on the table in the hall. A school that size is never without a crisis or two. We had some big ones. At times, the Congregation and St. Raymond’s would struggle to find common ground. Here was Msgr. Ryan’s wonderment: How does she remain super supportive of her Congregation and equally loyal to St. Raymond’s?  I knew it was her capacity to love.

Gerry became our auxiliary Bishop and died suddenly. Her grief was overwhelming. I had moments when I wondered if she would ever survive.

Survive she did.

A wonderful IHM educator came to St. Raymond’s to join the faculty. The three of us became good friends. Years later, she confessed to me that she came close to turning down that assignment because it was no secret that Mary and I were dear friends, and she had wondered that it might not be a happy situation. I tell this story because it highlights another of Mary’s qualities. She was incapable of excluding people. Wherever possible, she would draw others in. If they withdrew, for whatever reason, I came to believe she carried them in prayer.

Her last years were spent here in 1B. The staff became like family to me. Their love for Mary was always evident. It was no wonder that she often planted a surprise kiss on a hand or arm as they met her every need. It was her way of thanking them for everything when she was not able to speak.

Our President, Sister Katie, was living in 1B and would often come out in search of early morning coffee. Katie would never fail to engage Mary and her sister companions.

I have to seize this moment to thank God for the great gift of her love and friendship…
for her powerful influence in my life as a person, educator, and IHM. I use one of Mary’s favorite lines. Sister Redempta tells me, when they were having a great time, Mary would say, “We are lucky, lucky dogs.”

Well, Mary, thanks does not cover my gratitude. I consider myself a lucky, lucky dog… for the great gift of you in my life.