Sister Teresa Marie Bohren, SSJ, age 92, of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Northwestern Pennsylvania, died on May 18, 2023. She was in the 74th year of her religious life. Born in Reynoldsville, PA, on July 2, 1930, the daughter of the late John and Savilla (Biggie) Bohren, she entered the Sisters of St. Joseph from St. Mary Parish in Reynoldsville, PA, on February 2, 1950, professed her final vows on August 15, 1955, and celebrated her diamond jubilee commemorating 60 years of religious life in 2009.
Sister Teresa Marie graduated from Reynoldsville High School and continued her education at Villa Maria College, graduating in 1960 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education. She furthered her education at the Catholic University in Washington, D.C., where she earned an M.S. degree in Social Work in 1968.
Sister Teresa Marie taught at Sacred Heart and St. Peter Cathedral Schools in Erie; St. Francis School, Clearfield, PA; and St. Bernard School in Bradford, PA. She later ministered as a social worker at Catholic Social Services in Erie and served as its Executive Director from 1976 to 1991. She then had a private social service practice until 2003, when she became a bereavement counselor at Hospice of Metropolitan Erie.
In 1998, Sister Teresa Marie and Peter Lyons, owner of the Marketplace Grill restaurant in Erie, teamed up to offer Thanksgiving dinners to area homeless and lonely persons. The dinner continues today, now at Gannon University, and it is estimated that close to 25,000 meals have been served, including home deliveries.
She is survived by two sisters, Shirley Gatto, Brockway, PA, and Carole Dankesreiter of Emporium, PA, and several nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews. She is further survived by her religious community, the Sisters of St. Joseph.
Friends may call at the Sisters of St. Joseph Community Living Center, 5031 West Ridge Road, Erie, on Monday, May 22 for sharing of memories at 1:00 p.m. followed by calling hours until 3:30 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will follow at 4:00 p.m. Interment will be at Calvary Cemetery.
The Mass will be live-streamed on the Sisters of St. Joseph Facebook page and the SSJ Erie YouTube channel. The interment will be at Calvary Cemetery.
2 Comments on “We remember . . . Teresa Marie Bohren, SSJ”
Condolences to the community, my mom worked at Catholic Social Services, Sister was at our home many times.
May she rest in peace. I’ve known Sr. Teresa Marie for many years, initially through my dad when he worked closely with Sister, he as the judge in Clearfield County and Sister in her work with Catholic Charities. After I adopted Nelle, I got to see her more often. Always that beautiful smile that lit her eyes. What a GOOD woman, in every sense of the word. I will remember her fondly and in my prayers. God bless her and all of her families. Mary Jo