Obituaries

Mary Francis Becker, SSJ, 78, of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Northwestern Pennsylvania, died on August, 20, 2019 in the 61st year of her religious life.  She was born Barbara Ann Becker in Erie, Pennsylvania, on October 30, 1940, the daughter of the late Francis S. and Dorothy (McGraw) Becker. She entered the Sisters…

Naomi Wood, SSJ, 80, formerly Sister Ann Catherine Wood, of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Northwestern Pennsylvania, died on July 1, 2019 in the 61st year of her religious life.  She was born in Johnsonburg, Pennsylvania, on June 24, 1939, the daughter of the late Francis and Anna (Sekelsky) Wood. She entered the Sisters…

Mary Julia Scully, SSJ, 95, of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Northwestern Pennsylvania, died on June 28, 2019 in the 76th year of her religious life.  She was born in Erie, Pennsylvania, on January 28, 1924, the daughter of the late Lawrence and Anna Granahan Scully. She entered the Sisters of St. Joseph from…

Sister Mary Ellen Dwyer, SSJ, formerly Sister Mariella, of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Northwestern Pennsylvania, died on March 13, 2019 on the eve of her 82nd birthday.  Sister Mary Ellen was born in Bradford, Pennsylvania on March 14, 1937 the daughter of the late Raymond and Genevieve MacMaster Dwyer. She entered the Sisters…

Sister Marilyn Terwilliger, SSJ, formerly Sr. Rosaire Marie Terwilliger, 84, of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Northwestern Pennsylvania, died on December 27, 2018.  She was in the 67th year of her religious life.  She was born on July 19, 1934 in Bradford, Pennsylvania, the daughter of the late Frank and Cecelia McDermott Terwilliger.  She…

she was the second oldest Catholic sister in the Erie Diocese Bernardine Pais, SSJ, 101, died on December 10, 2018.  She was the oldest living member of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Northwestern Pennsylvania and the second oldest Catholic Sister in the Erie Diocese.  She was in her 83rd year of religious life.  She…

“I assure you, as you did it for one of my least brothers and sisters, you did it for me.”    Matt 25:40 Sister Mary Thomas Downing, SSJ, age 91, of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Northwestern Pennsylvania, died on August 16, 2018. She was in the 72nd year of her religious life.  She was…

Sister Joachim Onuffer, SSJ, age 92, of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Northwestern Pennsylvania, died on May 5, 2018.  Sister Joachim was born in Lewis Run, Pennsylvania, on June 25, 1925, the daughter of the late John and Anna (Hvizdak) Onuffer. She entered the Sisters of St. Joseph from Our Mother of Perpetual Help…

Sister Dorinda Young, SSJ, age 78, of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Northwestern Pennsylvania, died on March 18, 2018. She was born Judith Anne Young in Erie, PA on March 6, 1940, the daughter of Daniel and Dorinda (DeMaison) Young.  She later became Sister Dorinda after entering the Sisters of St. Joseph in 1958…

Our name, Sisters of St. Joseph, expresses our resolve to serve others with loving concern as Joseph served Jesus and Mary.                ~ SSJ Constitutions Sister Mary Alice Reed, SSJ, age 90, of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Northwestern Pennsylvania, died on March 2, 2018.  She was in the…