Maryknoll Sisters

Maryknoll, NY: Sister Mary Reese, M.M. died on August 17^th, 2023, at the Maryknoll Sisters Center, Maryknoll, NY. She was 100 years old and had been a Maryknoll Sister for 77 years.

On December 8^th, 1922 Mary was born in Wilmington, DE to Elizabeth Conway Reese and James Reese.  She had three brothers who were priests and three sisters; all of her siblings have pre-deceased her.

From 1936 – 1940, Mary attended Ursuline Academy High School in Wilmington, DE. She then studied nursing at St. Francis School of Nursing also in Wilmington where she graduated as a Registered Nurse in 1943. From March 1945-August 1946, Mary served honorably as the First Lieutenant of Oahu Medical Service for the United States Armed Forces in the Middle Pacific.  She served in that capacity at Tilton General Hospital in Fort Dix, NJ and in the orthopedic section for five months prior to her overseas assignment. She joined the 147^th General Hospital in Honolulu, HI as a General Duty Nurse in Orthopedics and later as an Operation Room Nurse.

Mary entered the Maryknoll Sisters in Maryknoll, NY on October 5^th, 1946 (from St. Ann’s parish in Wilmington, DE.)  She made her First Profession of Vows on April 6^th, 1949 at the Maryknoll Sisters Center in Maryknoll, NY and her Final Vows on April 6^th, 1952 also at the Center.

In 1950, she earned her Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing Education at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. She also received her first mission assignment that same year to remain at the Maryknoll Sisters Center to work in the infirmary caring for ill and elderly Sisters. In 1952, when the Maryknoll Sisters Foundress, Mother Mary Joseph had a stroke, Sister Mary was assigned as one of the nurses to care for her. This led to a life-long friendship between them.

In 1953, Sister Mary was assigned to Kowak, Tanzania to learn the language and work in the dispensary and maternity unit of the hospital until 1964.  She then moved to Nassa and Mwanza to work in the mission dispensary until 1966.  In 1969, Sister Mary was assigned to Kenya at the Kinango Hospital in Mombasa to work as the staff nurse until 1972.  She then returned to the Maryknoll Sisters Center, Maryknoll, NY for congregational services at Bethany (a nursing home for elderly Sisters.) 

From 1974-1975, she attended the Maryknoll School of Theology graduating with a Master of Arts Degree. She then returned to Africa and worked in Dar es Salaam in 1975 and Musoma in 1981. While in Dar es Salaam, she worked on a project for maternal and child health care until 1980. In Musoma, she worked with AIDS patients and in pastoral ministry. She also worked with AIDS orphans as well as with women’s economics projects until 2009.

In 2010, Sister Mary returned to the Maryknoll Sisters Center, Maryknoll, NY to semi-retire. In 2022 she fully retired to the Eden Community also at the Sisters Center, where she remained until her death on August 17^th, 2023. As a final act of service, Sister Mary generously donated her body to science.

Funeral Services:

A Vespers Service will be held for Sister Mary on September 5^th, 2023 at 4:15 p.m. in the Chapel of the Annunciation at the Maryknoll Sisters Center, Maryknoll, NY.

A Memorial Mass will be held on September 6^th, 2023 at 10:00 A.M. at the Maryknoll Sisters Center.

Maryknoll, NY: Sister Sophia Aihara, M.M. died on August 3rd, 2023 at the Maryknoll Sisters Center, Maryknoll, NY. She was 97 years old and had been a Maryknoll Sister for 69 years.

On November 14^th, 1925, Sister Sophia Setsuko Aihara was born in Uchida, Ashiya, Hyogo-ken, Japan to Suzuko (Kitagawa) and Masao Aihara.  She had four brothers, who have all predeceased her.  Her nephew Masakazu Aihara and his family in Kobe, Japan survive her.

From 1938-1943, Sophia attended Sacred Heart Girls High School (Seishin Joshigakuin) in Obayashi, Japan.   She then attended Kobe University for two years and transferred to Doshisha University in Kyoto where she received her B.A.  Following her studies, she taught at Sacred Heart Girl High School for several years before entering Maryknoll. Sophia entered the Maryknoll Sisters in Maryknoll, NY on August 28th, 1954 from her home parish of Kyoto, Saiin.  She pronounced her First Profession of Vows on March 7th, 1957 in Maryknoll, NY and her Final Vows on March 7th, 1963 in Japan.

In 1957, Sister Sophia received her first mission assignment to Japan.  She assisted in the vestment-making project at Matsugasaki in Kyoto.  She then moved to Saiin Parish doing pastoral work from 1959-1961. Later, she continued her pastoral ministry in the Ise Parish in Mie Prefecture. From 1964-1969, Sister Sophia taught English, Math and Religion at the Maryknoll Girls’ School in Yokkaichi City.

For one year, 1968-1969, she came back to the United States to study at Fordham University. In 1969, she returned to Japan to continue her studies at Sacred Heart University in Tokyo where she received her M.A. in English Literature in 1971.  After her studies, Sister Sophia taught English and English Literature at Sacred Heart University Junior College in Tokyo until 1987.  She then moved to Kichijoji doing a variety of ministries including: working for Encyclopedia Britannica doing translation and editing of articles on religion and related topics; bible study classes as well as other classes with women’s groups at Kichijoji Parish; assisting AA groups and helping a group of volunteer women prepare materials for the blind.

In 2015, Sister Sophia returned to the Maryknoll Sisters Center, Maryknoll, NY to retire. She remained at the Center until her death.

Funeral Services:

A Vespers Service will be held for Sister Sophia on August 30^th 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 August 31^st at 10:00 A.M. at the Maryknoll Sisters Center.

Maryknoll, NY: Sister Marie Lynch, M.M. died on August 6th, 2023 at the Maryknoll Sisters Center, Maryknoll, NY. She was 87 years old and had been a Maryknoll Sister for 64 years.

On February 11^th, 1936 Marie Bernadette Lynch was born in Roxbury, MA to Catherine (Norton) and Edward B. Lynch.  She had three brothers and one sister; her brothers Edward and Thomas survive her.

Marie attended Sacred Heart High School in Newton Center, MA from 1949 -1953.   She then earned her Bachelor of Arts Degree at Regis College in Weston, MA with a major in Psychology and a minor in Education.  She also attended Maryknoll School of Theology in Maryknoll, NY and received her Masters’ Degree in Theological Studies (Christian Heritage) in 1984.  On September 2^nd, 1959 Marie entered the Maryknoll Sisters in Maryknoll, NY from her home parish of Sacred Heart, Newton Center, MA.   She pronounced her First Profession of Vows on June 24th, 1962 in Topsfield, MA and her Final Vows on June 24th, 1968 in Bolivia.

In 1963, Sister Marie received her first mission assignment to Peru where she worked as a teacher in Lima until 1966.  She then moved to Guayaramerin, Bolivia from 1967-1968 and was the Principal of the grade school.

From 1969-1979, Sister Marie returned to Peru moving between Lima, Juli Prelature-Huancane, and Tacna.  She served as a teacher, worked in pastoral ministry, formation, and religious education of the laity.  In 1979, Sister Marie returned to the Maryknoll Sisters Center, Maryknoll, NY to work in Congregational Services as Director of Central Orientation Team 1983.  She then returned to Peru in 1984 continuing her work between Lima, Juli-Prelature-Huancane and Tacna until 2017.

In 2017, Sister Marie returned once again to the Maryknoll Sisters Center, Maryknoll, NY.  She served in Mission Services as a Participant Services Coordinator in the Mission Institute until 2021 when she retired.

Funeral Services:

A Vespers Service will be held for Sister Marie Lynch on Monday, August 4th 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 Tuesday, August 15th at 10:00 A.M. at the Maryknoll Sisters Center.

Maryknoll, NY: Sister Mary Louise Higa died on Monday, July 24^th, 2023 at the Maryknoll Sisters Center, Maryknoll, NY. She was 96 years old and had been a Maryknoll Sister for 72 years.

On April 24^th, 1927, Sister Mary Louise Hideko Higa was born in Kaupakalua, Maui, HI to Kame (Miyashiro) and Ushi Higa.   She had two brothers and seven sisters; she is survived by her sisters Mrs. Theodora Nakagawa and Mrs. Mildred Ige as well as her many nieces and nephews.

From 1941-1945, Mary Louise attended Maui High School in Kahului, HI.   She then attended St. Francis Hospital School in Honolulu, HI where she graduated as a Registered Nurse in 1949.  Mary Louise entered the Maryknoll Sisters on February 1st, 1951 from St. Stephen’s parish in Honolulu, HI.  She pronounced her First Profession of Vows on September 8th, 1953 in Valley Park, MO and her Final Vows on September 8th, 1959 in Kandy, Ceylon (now known as Sri Lanka).

In 1953, Sister Mary Louise received her first mission assignment to work in the infirmary department at the Maryknoll Sisters Motherhouse in Maryknoll, NY.  In 1955, she was assigned to Kandy, Ceylon where she worked as Nursing Supervisor in a government hospital and helped open a maternity nursing home until 1962 when foreigners were expelled from the country.  She then earned her certificate in Midwifery from Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda, Ireland in 1962.  In 1963, she was assigned to Hong Kong, China to work at Our Lady of Maryknoll Hospital as Program Supervisor and team member of Maryknoll Hospital Home Care Service and Community Nursing Service in Hong Kong.

Sister Mary Louise attended Chaminade College of Honolulu where she received her Bachelor’s Degree in General Studies in 1977. She then transferred to the Central Pacific Region in 1978, assigned to Honolulu, HI.  There, she worked in the Pastoral Ministry Department from 1978-1998 and functioned as the Regional Bookkeeper. In 1988 she returned to the Maryknoll Sisters Center, Maryknoll, NY for Congregational Services where she worked in the Archives Department until 1991.  She returned to Honolulu, HI in 1991 to do prison ministry and work at Hawaii Interfaith Ministry in Clinical Pastoral Education with a family service agency in Waihiawa, HI. There, she was involved in various ministries including: working with Life Foundation; providing service to people living with HIV & AIDS; bible study at a women’s correctional facility; faith community at Waihiawa; sorting materials for Central Pacific Region Archives and as Assistant Infirmarian.

In 2006, Sister Mary Louise semi-retired to Monrovia, CA.  There she did volunteer work such as driving Sisters to their medical appointments, phone duty, housekeeping and hospitality work.

Sister Mary Louise returned to the Maryknoll Sisters Center, Maryknoll, NY in 2015, to fully retire. She remained there until her death on July 24th, 2023.

Funeral Services:

A Vespers Service will be held for Sister Mary Louise on August 17th, 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 August 18th, 2023 at 10:00 A.M. at the Maryknoll Sisters Center.

Maryknoll, NY: Sister M. Ann Teresa Kamachi, M.M. died on Monday, July 24^th, 2023 at the Maryknoll Sisters Center, Maryknoll, NY. She was 101 years old and had been a Maryknoll Sister for 79 years.

On October 4^th, 1921, Sister Ann Teresa was born as “Teresa Hasuko Kamachi” in Shelton, WA to Mitsuye (Nakamuri) and Kinji Kamachi.   She had six brothers and two sisters; one brother, nieces and nephews survive her.

Teresa attended Olympia High School in Olympia, WA from 1935-1939. At the outbreak of World War II, 112,000 West Coast American citizens of Japanese ancestry were moved into internment camps. Teresa and her family were assigned to Manzanar Internment Camp in California.

Sister Ann Teresa entered the Maryknoll Sisters in Maryknoll, NY on September 7th, 1943 from St. Francis Xavier Parish in Los Angeles, CA.  She attended the Maryknoll Teachers College in 1945. On March 7^th, 1946 she pronounced her First Profession of Vows in Maryknoll, NY and her Final Vows on March 7^th, 1949 in Seattle, WA.  In 1950, she received her Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Nursing from Seattle University in Seattle, WA.

Later in 1950, she received her first mission assignment as a nurse at the Maryknoll Tuberculosis Sanatorium in Monrovia, CA.  From 1956-1965, she moved to Kansas City, MO where she served as Clinical Instructor and Nurse Supervisor at Queen of the World Hospital (the first fully racially integrated hospital in the country started by the Maryknoll Sisters).  Sister Ann Teresa moved back to Monrovia, CA in 1965 to once again serve as a nurse before returning to Maryknoll, NY in 1968 to work at Bethany, a nursing and rehabilitation care facility for the Maryknoll Sisters.   In 1969, she was assigned to the Eastern United States Region in Boston, MA. There, she worked in Boston Chinatown as a part-time private duty nurse, did cooking and housework and also worked as a nurse in the New England Medical Center Hospital until 1974.

For the next 27 years, Sister Ann Teresa was assigned to Honolulu, HI in the Central Pacific Region, where she worked in natural family planning programs, hospital pastoral ministry, and hospice services. She also volunteered as Eucharistic Minister at St. Francis Hospital and Tripler Hospital.

In 2007, Sister Ann Teresa returned to the Maryknoll Sisters Center, Maryknoll, NY where she worked part-time in the Treasury Department until her retirement in 2012.  She resided in Maryknoll, NY until her death on July 24th, 2023.

Funeral Services:

A Vespers Service will be held for Sister Ann Teresa on August 3rd, 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 August 4th, 2023 at 10:00 A.M. also at the Maryknoll Sisters Center.