Maryknoll, NY: Sister Ruth Marie O’Donnell, M.M. died on Saturday, February 25, 2023 at the Maryknoll Sisters Center, Maryknoll, NY. She was 95 years old and a Maryknoll Sister for 71 years.
On August 20, 1927, Ruth Marie O’Donnell was born in Port Arthur, Ontario, Canada to Hazel P. (Kirwin) and Thomas Leonard O’Donnell. She had one brother and one sister. They have all predeceased her
From 1940 to 1945, Ruth Marie attended St. Patrick’s High School in Fort William, Canada. She then attended the Ontario College of Pharmacy in Toronto, Canada where she earned a Pharmacy degree in 1950. Ruth Marie entered the Maryknoll Sisters on September 10, 1951 from St. Patrick’s parish in Canada. She pronounced her First Profession of Vows on March 7, 1954 at Maryknoll, NY. and her Final Vows on March 7, 1960 in Hong Kong.
In 1955, she received her first mission assignment to Punahou, Honolulu, Hawaii where she taught religion, biology, chemistry and physics to high school students until 1958. She was assigned to Kowloon, Hong Kong in 1958, for language study and part-time ministry. In 1961, she was the pharmacist at Maryknoll Hospital in Wong Tai Sin until 1969. Sister returned to the United States and was assigned to the Eastern US Region, and for 20 years, she ministered in Boston Chinatown, Massachusetts. She was involved in teaching; pastoral work; and she also served on many committees.
In 1993, Sr. Ruth Marie retired to Maryknoll Sisters Retirement facility in Monrovia, CA and in 1994 returned to the Maryknoll Sisters Center, Maryknoll, NY volunteering her time at St. Anne’s Church in Ossining, NY, teaching music and pastoral work for Hispanics until 2004. She remained at the Sisters Center until her death.
Funeral Services:
A Vespers Service will be held for Sister Ruth Marie O’Donnell, M.M. on Thursday, March 2, 2023 at 4:15 p.m. in the Chapel of the Annunciation at the Maryknoll Sisters Center, Maryknoll, NY.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Friday, March 3, 2023 at 10:00 A.M. at the Maryknoll Sisters Center.