Sister Mary Olive Kelly, IHM
January 5, 1894 – April 6, 1989
Sister Mary Olive Kelly, IHM, of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, died on Thursday, April 6, 1989 at the Marian Convent, Scranton, Pennsylvania, after an illness.
She was born on January 5, 1894 in Pittsburgh, PA, and given the name Cecilia. She was the daughter of the late John J. and Mary Brown Kelly, and was a member of St. Mary of the Mount Parish. She entered the IHM Congregation on January 6, 1916, received the religius habit on August 2, 1916, and made profession of her vows on August 5, 1918.
Sister Mary Olive served as a teacher at the following schools: St. Leo Elementary School in Ashley, PA, from 1918 to 1923; St. John the Evangelist Elementary School in Bellefonte, PA, from 1923 to 1927; St. Thomas Aquinas Elementary School in Archbald, PA, from 1927 to 1928; St. Cecilia Elementary School in Wyoming, PA, from 1928 to 1929; St. John Elementary School in Pittston, PA, from 1929 to 1933; St. Paul Elementary School in Scranton, PA, from 1944 to 1945; St. Leo Elementary School in Ashley, PA, from 1948 to 1954; Little Flower School in Bethesda, MD, from 1954 to 1961; and St. Ambrose Elementary School in Bridgeport, CT, from 1967 to 1974.
Sister Mary Olive served as principal at St. Patrick School Elementary School in Spangler, PA, from 1933 to 1938; St. Raymond Elementary School in Lynbrook, NY, from 1938 to 1944; Nativity of Our Lord Elementary School in Scranton, PA, from 1945 to 1948; St. Leo Elementary School in Ashley, PA, in 1948 and 1954; and Kolb High School in Masontown, PA, from 1961 to 1967.
She also served as tutor of the intermediate grades at St. Rosalia School in Pittsburgh, PA, from 1974 to 1982.
From 1982 until the time of her death, Sister Mary Olive served as a prayer minister at the Marian Convent.
She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Marywood College, and a Master of Arts degree in English from Duquesne University.
She is preceded in death by three brothers, and four sisters, including Eugene V., John J., Margaret C., Mary Grealish, and Rosalie McMinn.
She is survived by nieces and nephews.
The funeral will be on Monday, April 10 with Mass of Christian Burial in the Marian Convent chapel at Marywood in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Interment will follow at St. Catherine’s Cemetery, Moscow, Pennsylvania. Friends may call on Sunday afternoon at the Marian Convent.
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.
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Memorial contributions may be made to support the retired Sisters of IHM. Donate online today, or send your donation c/o the Sisters of IHM Retirement Fund, IHM Center, 2300 Adams Avenue, Scranton, PA 18509.