Justyna Steuer Carlson, who keeps me up to date on all GCU news of sisters who have resided at McAuley Hall in North Plainfield, and tries to keep my spiritual life in order... a more difficult task, she'll acknowledge ... sent this sad bit today. Sister Mary Peter was the lady who must have been deputized to call me each year to thank me for my donation. I missed the call this past December and now I know why. What a great woman and a long-time treasure for GCU!
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Sr. Mary Peter Coakley
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Home:
Watchung, NJ
Date of Death:
January 15, 2013
Birthdate:
July 18, 1915
Place of Birth:
South Amboy, NJ
Service Information:
Friday, January 18, 2013 11:00 AM St. Catherine Of
Siena Chapel, Watchung, NJ
Visitation:
Friday, January 18, 2013 9:00 - 11:00 a.m. St.
Catherine of Siena Chapel
Interment:
Holy Redeemer Cemetery, South Plainfield,
NJ
Sister Mary Peter Coakley, Sister of Mercy
Sister Mary Peter, 97, died peacefully Tuesday, January 15, 2013 at
McAuley Hall Health Care Center in Watchung, NJ
Born in South Amboy, she was
educated at St. Mary Elementary School and High School in South Amboy and
entered the Sisters of Mercy in 1932.
Her early teaching began at Our
Lady Star of the Sea School in Atlantic City, NJ where she taught for 7 years.
In 1946 she began her studies at Georgian Court which was the beginning of her
career in chemistry.
She received a BA degree in chemistry from Georgian
Court College.
and continued her studies with a teaching assistantship at
the University of Notre Dame, IN. There she was awarded a MS degree in chemistry
and a PhD degree in inorganic and physical chemistry with a fellowship from the
Atomic Energy Commission . She was the only woman permitted to study on the
campus at that time.
Sister Mary Peter had an extraordinary career in
teaching, research and lecturing at Georgian Court College, Lakewood, NJ.
She was a member of the American Chemical Society, The National Science
Teachers Assoc., Institute of Chemists, American Assoc of University Professors
and the Mercy Higher Ed Society. She also chaired National Science Foundation
task forces and served on the Board of Trustees of the Ocean County Chapter of
the American Chemical Society. She received grants for over $400,000.00 and was
able to equip the chemistry labs for a new science wing at Georgian Court
College. Her colleagues and students called her a phenomenally good teacher, one
who encouraged her students to excel. She was a devoted member of the Sisters of
Mercy for 80 years.
She is survived by many nieces, nephews, grand and
great grand nieces and nephews and many Sisters of Mercy.
Visitation will
take place at McAuley Hall Health Care Center, Saint Catherine of Siena Chapel
on Friday, January18, 2013 from 9:30 to 11:00 am followed by a Mass of Christian
Burial at 11:00 am. Interment will be in Holy Redeemer Cemetery, South
Plainfield, NJ
Memorial Contributions may be made to Sisters of Mercy,
Mid-Atlantic Community, Mount Saint Mary, 1645 Highway 22, Watchung, NJ 07069
Arrangements by Higgins Funeral Home, Watchung, NJ
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Would any of you who has a bit of news you'd like to share send it on to me at:
Maryanne Hartigan Schrank
145 South Pine Avenue
Albany, NY 12208 ; or
518-466-3977 ?
I promise I'll get this thing going again. Pictures welcome. I can deal with them.
I'll start the ball rolling... had all my teeth removed 12/18/2012. Teeth were fine... gums had to be removed! Hadn't felt old til then. Now I've ordered a cane and a hospital bed ... at least virtually... Last evening I went to hear Rosalie Riegle of THE CATHOLIC WORKER movement speak on her two new books about activists who have been willing to be arrested and do prison time for the cause of peace. One of the subjects is a friend of mine and was present, a local lawyer, and three of the others, I've had a drink with in the 70s, the Berrigan brothers and Elizabeth McAllister. One wonders if we've come very far at all. Sunday I attended a talk by Roy Bourgeois, a former Maryknoll priest who has been excommunicated by the Pope for ordaining women. The event couldn't have been more perfectly planned if the organizers had been tipped off about B XVI's resignation! The church that hosted was so jammed we could hardly breathe. If you read about me being arrested, send salt-free soups. It will be because I am very active in THE NEW SANCTUARY FOR IMMIGRANTS movement. We're giving hostel to undocumented persons and trying to advocate for them or at least assist their families if, in fact, deportation does result. In between, I volunteer on THE HOMELESS ACTION VAN and we do have a major homeless problem here... men... women ... lots of them veterans ... families, many evicted from substandard housing owned by "subhuman" landlords. Once a year I sleep out in the park to benefit the homeless. The event occurs whether there is mild weather or rain, snow, wind, hail... whatever. Only one night. I cannot imagine being Mary, a woman who sleeps out every night of the year.
THERE..... send me your item(s) ... I know Peggy Blank has moved and I think acquired a new grandchild. Kath has a b-day today I follow soon. Mary Costa makes the most gorgeous photographic images. Who knew? Let's share... Nothing says you have to be a member of the class of 1959!
Love to all.....
Maryanne
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