Sr. Mary Aneas MacEachern
Passed on: April 21st, 2008
101, Antigonish Sr. Mary Aneas MacEachern, 101, a Sister of St. Martha of Antigonish, died at Bethany, the Motherhouse of the Congregation, on Monday, April 21, 2008, two days before her 102nd birthday and in the 77th year of her religious life. Born in Cregnish, N.S., the youngest of five children, she was the daughter of the late Angus A. and Mary (MacDonald) MacEachern. After receiving her teacher’s licence from the Nova Scotia Provincial Normal College in Truro in 1924, and teaching for three years, Sr. Aneas entered the Sisters of St. Martha on Nov. 1, 1929. She pronounced her first vows on Sept. 24, 1931. In 1938, she became a registered record librarian and received a certificate in hospital organization and management in 1957. Sister served as local leader of the community in three of the houses in which she lived and worked. Sr. Aneas ministered in health care offices within hospitals of the Congregation in Nova Scotia for 14 years, serving at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Glace Bay, St. Mary’s Hospital in Inverness and the former Mercy Hospital in Sydney. In 1952, Sister was named administrator of St. Joseph’s Hospital in Glace Bay, and served in that capacity in other health-care institutions, namely, St. Rita Hospital in Sydney, St. Mary’s Hospital in Inverness and in New Waterford Consolidated Hospital. After retiring from active ministry in 1973, Sister continued to serve as a volunteer at Martha House in Regina, St. Martha’s Hospital in Antigonish, Christ the King Convent in Trenton, and in the motherhouse post office at Bethany. In September 2002, Sr. Aneas retired fully from active ministry at the age of 96, and continued to remain involved with the spiritual and communal life of the sisters. Sr. Aneas was the last surviving member of her immediate family. She was predeceased by three sisters, Jessie MacDonald, Catherine McCool and Mary MacDonald, and one brother, Alex A. She is survived by a number of nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews. The remains will be resting at Bethany, beginning Friday afternoon, April 25 at 1:15 p.m., where a Celebration of Vigil will be held that same evening at 7:30 p.m. Liturgy of Christian Burial will be held Saturday, April 26 at 2 p.m. in Bethany Chapel. Arrangements are under the direction of MacIsaac Funeral Home Ltd., Antigonish. www.MacIsaacs.ca
