Sister of St. Joseph Mary Jean Smith (formerly Sister St. Peter) died Dec. 6, 2014, at 82.
She entered the congregation in 1950 from her home parish, St. Mary, Bath. She earned a B.A. in 1957 and a M.A. in 1964, both from Nazareth College, Pittsford. In 1973 she received a certificate in educational administration from SUNY Brockport.
She taught at Rochester’s Blessed Sacrament and St. Anne schools; Sacred Heart, Auburn; St. John the Evangelist, Spencerport; St. James, Waverly; and St. Agnes High School, Rochester. She also was vice principal and principal at Nazareth Academy, Rochester. She served as assistant superior general of her congregation; as social-ministry director at St. Patrick Parish, Elmira; and as pastoral associate at Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish, Painted Post and St. Theodore Parish, Gates. In 2004 she helped found Holy Family Parish’s Kitchen Table Ministry to serve the needs of Cohocton’s rural poor.
She is survived by her sister, Mary Lou Chapman; sister-in-law Patricia Sinnott; nieces; cousins; and her sisters in the congregation.
Sister Smith’s funeral liturgy was celebrated Dec. 12, 2014 in the motherhouse chapel, with burial in Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Rochester.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Sisters of St. Joseph Ministry Fund, 150 French Road, Rochester, NY 14618.
Tags: Religious Orders
