Kathleen, the first daughter of Terence and Rosemary Lloyd Maguire, joined five brothers at her birth on April 22, 1923 in Yonkers, N.Y. Terence and Rosemary were New York natives and of "Irish Catholic stock." Kathleen was baptized at Sacred Heart Church, Yonkers. A few years later, the Maguire family moved to Tenafly, N.J. As the family increased in size to eleven children, Kathleen was right in the middle with five older brothers and five younger siblings. Kathleen wrote in her autobiography that she had "a normal, happy pre-school" childhood. She started school when she was six years of age at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel School and in the second grade made her first holy communion. The Sisters of Charity from Convent Station were her teachers and Kathleen said, "The desire to be a sister must have come to me at my first contact with sisters for I never remember being without it."
In 1933, the Maguire family moved to Bergenfield, N.J.where the children attended St. John’s School. It was there that Kathleen met the School Sisters of Notre Dame. A few weeks after Kathleen’s confirmation in the spring of 1936, her mother died. An aunt, the widow of her father’s brother, cared for the family. By the time Kathleen graduated from the eighth grade, she "decided she would be an SSND and nothing else." She began high school in the Juniorate at Holy Angels Academy, Fort Lee, N.J. in Sept., 1937. Kathleen described her experience, "Everything was a pleasure to me and I succeeded in getting the most out of everything that came my way in either work or play."
Kathleen received the bonnet in the convent chapel at St. John, Bergenfield, N.J. on Aug. 28, 1941. She traveled to the Baltimore motherhouse and continued her studies as a Normal School student for the two years in the candidature. "The wonderful spirit of Notre Dame which had first attracted me to the order made itself felt forcibly during these years," she wrote in her autobiography. Kathleen was received into the novitiate on July 8, 1943 and was given the name, Sister Mary Alvita. Sister professed her first vows on July 31, 1944.
Sister Alvita began her teaching career as a first grade teacher at St. Anselm, Brooklyn, N.Y. (1944-45). She moved up the grades, beginning as a primary teacher at St. Mary, Albany, N.Y. (1945-49), then advancing to grades three and four at St. Joseph, Washington, D.C. (1949-55), grades five and seven at Madonna
School, Fort Lee, N.J. (1955-57), junior high classes at Mt. Carmel, Camden, N.J. (1957-64), St. Joseph, Verona, Pa. (1964-69) and Most Holy Name, Pittsburgh, Penn. where she also became principal. (1969-71). Sister continued as teacher/administrator at St. Mary, Hagerstown, Md. (1971-77), St. Joseph, Verona, Penn. (1977-81), then junior high teacher at St. Pius X, Baltimore, Md. (1981-85).
After a time of renewal at Our Lady of the Pines, Chatawa, Miss., Sister Alvita returned to the classroom at Bishop Walsh Middle/High School, Cumberland, Md. (1986-90). She then worked in a variety of finance and clerical positions at Villa Assumpta while living in community at St. Mary’s, Govans, Baltimore, Md. and in the SSND community at the College of Notre Dame of Maryland (now University) (1990-2015).
Sister Alvita was a tremendous educator who met the challenge and discipline of a life in education. Her devotion to the teaching of religious education through the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine classes is impressive. She began that ministry at St. Anselm parish in Brooklyn, N.Y. in 1944 and was still preparing second graders for the sacraments at the Cathedral of Mary our Queen, Baltimore, Md. in the early years of the 21st century.
Sister’s professional education included a Bachelor of Science in Education from the College of Notre Dame of Maryland (now University) in 1955 and a Master in Teaching Mathematics from Wayne State University, Detroit, Mich. in 1971.
Sister Alvita was a 100 percent Irish bundle of energy. Her smile was always there and her laughter was contagious. Time spent with Alvita was happy and joyful. She was a people person, full of fun and a great storyteller.
She was also a brilliant woman who loved philosophy and scripture. She willingly was up at 5 a.m. to study Kierkegaard with a young sister who needed encouragement. Even the loss of her vision could not deny her eagerness to know. In her difficult last years, she avidly listened to audio books and absorbed the content of America magazine as it was read to her.
Sister Alvita was a powerful example of a community woman. She fully integrated her life in Christ. She personified kindness and compassion. She strongly believed that something forgiven was also forgotten. A wonderful painting of the laughing Jesus was dear to her. "I want that in my coffin," she said.
Sister Mary Alvita died peacefully on May 27, 2017. Viewing and sharing on Sister Alvita’s life preceeded the Liturgy of Christian Burial at Villa Assumpta on June 7. The liturgy was concelebrated by Rev. Roman Kovacheson OFM Cap., Rev. Joseph Breighner and Rev. Tim Brown S.J., homilist. Interment followed at
Villa Maria Cemetery, Glen Arm, Md. Sister Mary Alvita is survived by her brother, Jack Maguire and nieces and nephews.
- Jeanne Hildenbrand SSND
