Obituaries

From the first member of the congregation to pass away in 1870 to recent deaths, all the obituaries of deceased Sisters of Providence of St. Vincent de Paul are accessible and searchable. You can search by name, or use the birth date, death date and location filters.

These are not typical obituaries, in fact in the world of consecrated life we refer to them as necrologies. These biographical sketches are written by the General Secretary of the congregation shortly after the death of each individual sister. The necrologies are historical documents and may contain errors, including variations in spellings and incorrect dates. The necrologies are presented here as they were written.

If you would like more information about a deceased sister please contact the archivist.

Sister Catherine Rose Myers

Sister Catherine Rose Myers

Catherine Rose Myers was born in Philipsville, Forfar, Ontario, on January 10, 1896, and was baptized on February 2. She was one of nine children born to Thomas M. Myers of Portland, Ont., and Rose Ann Healy of Toledo, Ont. Catherine Rose Myers was educated in a...

Sister Mary Gerald Francis Rayson

Sister Mary Gerald Francis Rayson

Mary Jemima Rayson was born in Vankleek Hill, Ont., on June 5, 1906, and was baptized on June 10. She was the oldest of six children born to John Andrew Rayson of Grenville, Que., and Theresa Carty of Vankleek Hill, Ont. Mary Jemima was a very self-sacrificing young...

Sister Mary Thrasilla MacDonell

Sister Mary Thrasilla MacDonell

Janet Isabella MacDonell, on of ten children of Mary Ann McDonald and Kenneth A. MacDonell, was born in Glen Nevis, Ontario, on January 17, 1902 and was baptized on January 19. She lived at North Lancaster, Ontario, receiving her early education at St. Margaret’s...

Sister Mary Joan of Arc Gabourie

Sister Mary Joan of Arc Gabourie

Mary Bernice Gabourie, one of nine children of Lillian Agnes Beausoleil and James Gabourie, was born in Tweed, Ontario, on April 16, 1901. Prior to her entering the Novitiate of the Sisters of Providence in Kingston on January 6, 1919, Mary Bernice, having completed...

Sister Mary Rose of Viterbo Whalen

Sister Mary Rose of Viterbo Whalen

Ann Whalen was born in Hungerford, Ont. on January 8, 1897, and was baptized on January 24. She was one of fourteen children born to Sara McGrath and William Whalen. At the age of 15, Ann Whalen wanted to enter the Congregation of St. Joseph but was told that she was...

Sister Phyllis Genore

Sister Phyllis Genore

Philomena Martina Genore was born in Otter Creek, Ontario, on the 13 of October, 1909, one of nine children born to Albert Genore of Sorel, Que., and Mary Courneyea of Tweed. Philomena changed her name to Phyllis for personal reasons. Phylllis had Grade IX education...

Sister Mary Fergus Masterson

Sister Mary Fergus Masterson

Mary Stella Masterson, one of nine children of James Masterson and Ellen Foley, was born on November 22, 1903, in Chesterville, Ont. Mr. James Masterson attended elementary school in Cannaught and on reaching adulthood, he decided to make his way in the world. He and...

Sister Nora Kyle

Sister Nora Kyle

Honoria (Nora) Kyle was born on January 16, 1888, in Swinford, County Mayo, Ireland. She was one of nine children born to Richard Kyle and Bridget Campbell. Four of the girls became Sisters – two in the U.S.A., one in Ireland and Sister Nora here in Kingston. As a...

Sister Mary Lenore Carter

Sister Mary Lenore Carter

Irene Isobel Carter was born in Montreal, Quebec, on September 30, 1897 (the day on which St. Therese Lisieux died) and was baptized on October 3. She was the second eldest of eight children born to Thomas Joseph Carter and Mary Agnes Kerr. This illustrious family...

Sister Mary Demetria Stewart

Sister Mary Demetria Stewart

Elizabeth Marguerite Steward was born in Madoc, Ontario, on August19, 1894, one of seven children born to John Stafford Stewart and Mary Elizabeth Burns.  Before entering, Elizabeth Marguerite had Grade X education and studied millinery. On August 15, 1914, she...

Sister Mary Florence Howell

Sister Mary Florence Howell

Mary Elizabeth Howell was born in Madoc, Ontario, On January 3, 1907, baptized on January 25, 1907, and confirmed in Marysville on October 3, 1920. She was one of 11 children born to Elizabeth McNamara and Andrew Howell. Mr. Howell was a farmer and the family lived in...

Sister Mary Alban Hawkins

Sister Mary Alban Hawkins

Mary Hawkins was born in Tweed, Ontario, on April 19, 1891, one of nine children of Michael Hawkins and Alice Murphy. Mr. Hawkins was a dairy farmer and gave that up to go into general farming. Mary Hawkins had Grade X education when she entered, having attended...

Sister Marie LaMarche

Sister Marie LaMarche

Margaret Mary Frances Lamarche was born in Kingston, Ontario, on the 18th day of May, 1907, and baptized at the Cathedral Parish in Kingston on May 20th, 1907. In her family, she was known as Marie and is one of eight children of Joseph Adelard (known by everyone as...

Sister Mary Wilhelmina O’Hearn

Sister Mary Wilhelmina O’Hearn

In July, 1988, when the first Directory of the Sisters of Providence of St. Vincent de Paul was published, in the information alongside Sister Wilhelmina O’Hearn’s photograph these words appeared: “Personal interests…cheering up depressed and upset Sisters. My...

Sister Carol Cornish

Sister Carol Cornish

Sister Carol Cornish (Mary Carol Ann Cornish) of the Sisters of Providence of St. Vincent de Paul, died at Hotel Dieu Hospital, Kingston Ontario, on January 23, 1989, in the 36th of her religious life. She is lovingly remembered by her brother, James, and his wife,...

Sister Mary Fidelma Pickett

Sister Mary Fidelma Pickett

“Her name, ‘Fidelma’, seemed to sum up her life of gentleness in nature, littleness in notice, but thoroughness in service.” In these words Father Tom Raby, in the funeral homily attempted to capture the essence of the life of Sister Mary Fidelma (Pickett), Sister of...

Sister Mary of the Sacred Heart McKenna

Sister Mary of the Sacred Heart McKenna

Mary Martha McKenna was born on June 6, 1888, at Burritts Rapids, Ontario. She was the last child of Thomas Christopher McKenna and Mary Ann Kenny. Having eight sisters and two brothers she belonged to the typically large family of those days homesteading in rural...

Sister Mary Matilda Marshall

Sister Mary Matilda Marshall

Sister Mary Matilda (Marshall) was buried on the feast of St. Lawrence, a famous deacon/martyr of the early church. In retrospect this seemed very fitting, for it was discovered after her death that she had in her own quiet way given a special assistance and support...

Sister Mary Bride Tee

Sister Mary Bride Tee

On May 31, 1924, the Providence Motherhouse annalist recorded the arrival at Kingston of “the first young lady from Nfld”. One might ask how Providence brought that about, since none of our Sisters lived or worked in that East Coast Island. The story of Bridget Mary...

Sister Mary Timothy O’Sullivan

Sister Mary Timothy O’Sullivan

In the early 1900’s John O’Sullivan came with his wife, Ellen (Sullivan) and their ten children from Ireland to Montreal. His mother had been anxious for him to join the rest of the family in Canada. The O’Sullivan’s arrived in summer, but their troop of young ones...