Sr. Marie MacNeil
Born In: Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada
Passed in: Antigonish, Nova Scotia, Canada
Passed on: September 19th, 2012
Sister Marie MacNeil, formerly Sister Leonard Marie, 94, a Sister of St. Martha of Antigonish, died at Bethany, the motherhouse on Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2012. She was in the 74th year of her religious life.
Born in Sydney, she was the daughter of the late Hugh Joseph and Elizabeth (MacLean) MacNeil.
Sister entered the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Martha on Sept. 8, 1936, pronounced her first vows on Nov. 1, 1938, and her perpetual profession of vows on Aug. 24, 1942. After her profession of vows, Sister spent many years in kindergarten teaching and parish work in Western Canada. Later she served in secretarial work and administration in institutions operated by the congregation and in pastoral care.
In 1949 Sister Marie obtained a Kindergarten Teaching Diploma from the Canadian Kindergarten Institute of Winnipeg. In 1969 she qualified for a secretarial diploma from Cape Breton Business College, Sydney.
In Nova Scotia, besides the motherhouse, Sister served at Little Flower Institute in Sydney, St. Martha’s Hospital and St. Martha’s Convent (on the Campus of St. Francis Xavier University) in Antigonish. In Alberta, she served at Mount Carmel Convent in Canmore, St. Alphonsus Convent in Blairmore, St. Michael’s Hospital in Lethbridge, and St. Elizabeth’s Convent in Calgary. Sister also served at the Galilee Renewal Centre, Arnprior, Ont. Sister Marie was community leader in several convents where she lived.
She is survived by half sisters, Lorraine Nelson and Helen Colpa.
Besides her parents, she was predeceased by brothers, Gerald, Leonard, John, half brothers, Alex and Joseph and half sister, Teresa MacDonald.
The remains will be resting at Bethany, beginning Sunday, Sept. 23, 2012, at 1:15 p.m. A Celebration of Vigil will be held on the same evening at 7:30 p.m. Liturgy of Christian Burial will take place Monday, Sept. 24, 2012, at 2 p.m. in Bethany chapel.
Arrangements are under the direction of MacIsaac Funeral Home, Antigonish. www.MacIsaacs.ca.
