Sister Michael Mary Kean, a member of the School Sisters of Notre Dame, died on May 9, 2017, at Lourdes Health Care Center in Wilton, Connecticut. She was
77 years old and had been a member of the School Sisters of Notre Dame for 58 years.
Dorothy Kean was born on January 26, 1940, in Boston. She was baptized on February 11, 1940, at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in Boston. Her parents were Michael Kean and Margaret Glynn. Both were from County Galway, Ireland. After their marriage, they set off for America where they planned to spend their honeymoon. Instead, they moved to Roxbury. The family had eight children, four girls and four boys. Dorothy had a twin sister, Barbara. All of the children attended Mission Grammar School and, together with their parents, were excellent Irish step dancers.
Dorothy graduated from grammar school on June 11, 1953. She had chosen to enter the Aspiranture at Fort Lee, New Jersey, and loved being there. At this time, twenty-five years in America had come to a close, and her parents decided it was time to visit Ireland. They took their three youngest children and spent nine very happy weeks in their home country. Dorothy graduated from the Aspiranture on June 9, 1957.
On September 8, 1957, five young women received the Candidate’s veil in the Convent Chapel of the School Sisters of Notre Dame at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish. They traveled to Baltimore and entered the Candidature. Dorothy completed the first year of college and entered the Novitiate on July 16, 1958. She asked for and, to her great happiness, received the name Michael Mary in honor of her father. She took first vows on July 25, 1959. Final vows were taken on August 25, 1965.
Sister Michael Mary’s first assignment was teaching at St. Brigid School in Westbury, N.Y. (1959-1960). This was followed by assignments to St. Lawrence, Sayville, N.Y.
(1960-1970), and St. Saviour Grade School in Brooklyn (1970-1972). Michael Mary loved to teach and enjoyed C.Y.O. activities with junior high students.
Feeling that there was a need for nurses, Sister Michael Mary asked to study nursing. She did this at Methodist Hospital in Brooklyn from 1972-1974, and, at Peter Brigham Nursing School in Massachusetts from 1974-1978. The next year, spent at Lourdes, was followed by illness. Sister Michael Mary then served as nurse in the Motherhouse from 1980-1994. During the next two years, she cared for family members and then from 1996-2011, gave community service as driver, receptionist, and volunteer. In 2011, Sister Michael Mary moved to Lourdes Health Care Center. About living at Lourdes, she said;
"I am grateful for the care and visits I receive…I spend some time every day on the computer writing to and hearing from friends."
Sister Michael Mary had the beautiful habit of being with a sister when she was dying. She kept watch and endeavored to be present at each sister’s death. Michael Mary’s health began to decline over the years. Last week, she was aware of the approach of death. She died peacefully in the presence of her sisters.
Sister Michael Mary was predeceased by four brothers and two sisters. She is mourned by her sister, Margaret Eugene of Winchester, Mass., many nieces, nephews, and friends, and by her community, the School Sisters of Notre Dame.
A Wake Service was held on the evening of Thursday, May 11, 2117, with a Christian Service at 6 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on Friday, May 12, 2017, by Rev. Thomas Elliot, C.S.C., Chaplain of Villa Notre Dame. Burial will follow at a later time.
Sister Michael Mary spoke of communicating with friends by means of the computer. During the Burial Mass on Friday, one of the Intentions was, "For the many ways she communicated with her family and friends, and for her sense of humor." At the Wake on Thursday evening, we heard that on Facebook, there were already 163 email condolences from former students of St. Lawrence School in Sayville, NY.
-Julianna Poole, SSND
