School Sisters

On January 22, 2007, HELEN HULSHOFF (nee Polianski); beloved mother of Barbara A. Cohn, Joan M. Fitzpatrick and Mary R. Stitz. Also survived by seven grandchildren and one great-granddaughter. Service and interment private. Contributions may be made to the School Sisters of Notre Dame, 6401 N. Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21212. Arrangements by the family owned Mitchell-Wiedefeld Funeral Home, Inc.

Sister Melvina L. Bennett, whose work with poor women and families won her the respect and admiration of her peers in the School Sisters of Notre Dame, died of complications from cancer July 23 at Union Memorial Hospital. She was 64. Born in Charleston, S.C., to Lee James Bennett and Rosetta Chavis Bennett, she was raised a Baptist but converted to Roman Catholicism while attending college at the Hampton Institute in Virginia. Her mother died when she was 7, and she and her younger sister, LaVerne, were left in the care of her maternal grandmother, Sarah Chavis.

Going, going, gone ... on 10 years of losing-season frustration, a city of disappointed souls wandering the baseball desert: tired, bloodied, sick of looking at the Yankees', Red Sox's, and Blue Jays' behinds in the standings, fearful the spineless Tampa Bay Devil Rays will rise up and haunt our dreams. Seems the winning "Oriole Way" went thattaway. Outta here, like a hanging curve smacked over the right field wall. Yes, In Cal We Still Trust. But he's busy doing Comcast commercials these days.

Michael Gary Kanaly, 46, electrical engineerMichael Gary Kanaly, a Northrop-Grumman electrical engineer, died Sunday of a heart attack at North Arundel Hospital. He was 46 and lived in Severna Park.Born in Philadelphia and raised in Wayne, Pa., he moved to Anne Arundel County in 1974. He was a member of the Severna Park Jaycees, the Glen Burnie Evangelical Presbyterian Church and Promise Keepers. He enjoyed fishing and boating.Funeral services were held Wednesday.He is survived by his wife, the former Karen Borzillo of Severna Park, whom he married 29 years ago. He is also survived by a son, Michael Kanaly of Severna Park; three daughters, Jennifer Engelmeyer of Pasadena; Heather Kanaly and Ashley Kanaly, both of Severna Park; a brother, John Kanaly of Lake Zurich, Ill.; three sisters, Mary Banner of Pasadena, Kathleen Benoit of North Grafton, Mass.

Sister Mary George Feneis, a former teacher and nurse's aide, died in her sleep Saturday at Villa Assumpta, motherhouse of the School Sisters of Notre Dame, near Towson. She was 91.Sister George was a nurse's aide at Villa Maria, the order's retirement home in Notch Cliff, Baltimore County, and retired in 1995. Before working at Notch Cliff, she taught in parochial schools in Baltimore, New Jersey, New York and Connecticut.Born Mary Rose Feneis in Brooklyn, N.Y., she was a stenographer and typist until she entered the School Sisters of Notre Dame in 1927.

Charles C. Nagle, 70, manager of electronics firmCharles C. Nagle, a former Bel Air resident, died Jan. 12 of cancer at a hospital in Myrtle Beach, S.C. He was 70 and had lived in Murrells Inlet, S.C., since 1996.He was a retired field service manager for Burroughs Corp., an electronics and business machines firm, where he worked from 1947 to 1985.The native of Northeast Baltimore graduated from Polytechnic Institute in 1946 and then served in the Navy until 1947.A memorial Mass was offered Saturday .He is survived by his wife, the former Elizabeth M. Osborn, whom he married in 1952; a son, Charles C. Nagle of Alpharetta, Ga.; three daughters, Susan Rowe of Richmond, Va., Patricia Barber of Charlotte, N.C., and Deborah Ann Englehart of Bel Air; his mother, Dorothy B. Nagle of Baltimore; a brother, Robert W. Nagle of Rosedale; a sister, Doris J. Haag of Forest Hill; and six grandchildren.

Justin U. Thomas, 27, tire technician, studentJustin U. Thomas, a Coppin State College student and tire company employee, died of a gunshot wound Sept. 29 at Maryland Shock Trauma Center. He was 27 and lived in West Baltimore.Mr. Thomas was a victim of a random shooting. The incident occurred Sept. 29 in the 1000 block of W. Baltimore St., and is being investigated by police.He was a tire technician for Klausmeyer Tire Inc., where he specialized in changing tires on aircraft and heavy equipment.

Sister M. Edwin O'Connell, 95, S.S.N.D. teacherSister Mary Edwin O'Connell, S.S.N.D., a retired teacher, died of heart failure Saturday at Villa Assumpta, the motherhouse of the School Sisters of Notre Dame. She was 95.Beginning in 1937, Sister Edwin taught at parochial schools in Baltimore, including the Cathedral School and Notre Dame Preparatory School; Roxbury, Mass.; and Glen Cove, N.Y. She retired in 1973.Born in New York City, she entered the School Sisters of Notre Dame in 1920. Later, she earned a bachelor of science degree in education from the College of Notre Dame of Maryland.

Sister Mary Christine Engel, 83, teacher in Pa., Fla.Sister Mary Christine Engel, S.S.N.D., who taught at parochial schools in Pennsylvania and Florida, died of complications of a stroke Jan. 25 at Maria Health Center at Villa Assumpta in Towson, the motherhouse of the School Sisters of Notre Dame.She was 83.Sister Mary Christine began her teaching career in 1937 and retired to Villa Assumpta in 1992.Born Marie Engel in New York City, she was raised in Sayville on Long Island and graduated from Aspiranture, a high school in Fort Lee, N.J., formerly operated by the School Sisters of Notre Dame.

Sister Alma McNicholas, who taught in the biology department of the College of Notre Dame of Maryland for more than 50 years, died Tuesday from complications of a stroke at the Maria Health Center at Villa Assumpta in Towson, the motherhouse of the School Sisters of Notre Dame.Sister Alma, 95, had lived in housing for school sisters on the Notre Dame campus for seven years. She was head of the biology department for 38 years before she retired from full-time teaching in 1991.In her late 80s, she agreed to teach a noncredit biology course at the college in either of her two specialty subjects -- the heart or brain -- until 1996, when she was 93."

Sister Helen Fish, a member of the School Sisters of Notre Dame and a licensed addictions counselor who as a recovering alcoholic used her own addiction to help inspire others to regain their lives, died of pneumonia June 19 at St. Joseph Medical Center. Sister Helen was 76. She was born Helen May Fish in Baltimore and raised in Govans. She attended the Institute of Notre Dame and then worked briefly as a clerk for Penn Lumber Co. before entering the School Sisters of Notre Dame in 1953.

Sister Melmarie Gentry, a retired teacher who was a member of the School Sisters of Notre Dame, died of pneumonia Wednesday at St. Joseph Medical Center. She was 85. Born Mary Eleanor Gentry in Baltimore, she attended parochial schools at the SS. Philip and James, St. Bernard and Blessed Sacrament parishes. She graduated from the Institute of Notre Dame and attended St. Agnes Junior College before entering the School Sisters of Notre Dame in 1943. She took the religious name Melmarie. Sister Melmarie taught mathematics at the junior high and secondary levels in Baltimore, Frostburg, Catonsville, Hagerstown, Annapolis and Cumberland.

Sister Mary Agnes Klug, a retired chemistry professor at the College of Notre Dame of Maryland, died in her sleep Thursday at her order's retirement home in Woodbrook. She was 100. Born Dorothy Agnes Regina Klug in Baltimore and raised in Govans on Beaumont Avenue, she was a 1927 graduate of Notre Dame Preparatory School. After graduating from the College of Notre Dame of Maryland in 1931, she entered the School Sisters of Notre Dame. She initially was known as Sister Mary Agnesita. She later used her baptismal name.

It has the look of a classic urban parochial school: no-frills architecture, granite walls and stairs pounded by saddle shoes. And now, nearly four decades after the last pupil at what was then St. Ann's School closed a composition notebook, the three-story building at Greenmount Avenue and 22nd Street is being readied to accept a new school. Some of Baltimore's best-known philanthropists and charities - led by Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti and his wife, Renee - have donated $7 million to renovate the building to accommodate Mother Seton Academy, a 15-year-old school now housed in a Fells Point convent.

On March 24, 2009, MARY ELIZABETH "Betty" SWEENEY. Beloved sister of John J. Sweeney Jr., Patricia A. Wolfe, William B. Sweeney and the late Margaret S. Ryan, Robert F., and James A. Sweeney. Also survived by numerous nieces, nephews, grand nieces, grand nephews and one great-grand niece. Friends may call at the family owned MITCHELL-WIEDEFELD FUNERAL HOME INC., 6500 York Road (at Overbrook) on Wednesday 7 to 9 P.M and Thursday 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 P.M. A Funeral Mass will be offered Friday 10 A.M at the Chapel of Villa Assumpta, 6401 North Charles Street, Baltimore, MD, 21212.

On December 30, 2008, SISTER CATHERINE (MARY ETHELREDA) FITZPATRICK, S.S.N.D.; beloved member of the School Sisters of Notre Dame; dear daughter of the late Iris Lydia (nee Walley) and James Joseph Fitzpatrick. Survived by a niece, grand- nephews and cousins. Friends may call at Villa Assumpta, 6401 N. Charles Street, on Monday, 3 to 5 and 7 to 8:30 p.m. A Christian Wake Service will be held Monday evening at 7:30 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered on Tuesday 10 a.m. in the Chapel of Villa Assumpta.

On December 30, 2008, SISTER CATHERINE (MARY ETHELREDA) FITZPATRICK, S.S.N.D., beloved member of the School Sisters of Notre Dame, dear daughter of the late Iris Lydia (nee Walley) and James Joseph Fitzpatrick. Survived by a niece, grandnephews and cousins. Due notice of arrangements. Arrangements by the family owned Mitchell-Wiedefeld Funeral Home Inc.

On November 22, 2008, SISTER MARY DORINDA ELLINGHAUS, S.S.N.D.; beloved member of the School Sisters of Notre Dame; dear daughter of the late Anna (nee Bienlein) and Ferdinand Ellinghaus. Survived by nieces, nephews, grand nieces and grand nephews. A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered Wednesday 10 AM at The Chapel of Villa Assumpta. Interment Villa Maria Cemetery, Glen Arm. Contributions in memory of Sister Mary Dorinda Ellinghaus may be made to the School Sisters of Notre Dame, 6401 N. Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21212.

On November 22, 2008, SISTER MARY DORINDA ELLINGHAUS, S.S.N.D.; beloved member of the School Sisters of Notre Dame; dear daughter of the late Anna (nee Bienlein) and Ferdinand Ellinghaus. Survived by nieces, nephews, grand nieces and grand nephews. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at Villa Assumpta Chapel, due notice will be given. Arrangements by the family owned Mitchell-Wiedefeld Funeral Home, Inc.

Sister Marie Edwina Dietrich, a member of the School Sisters of Notre Dame, died of pneumonia June 12 at St. Joseph Medical Center. She was 89. Born Elizabeth Dietrich in Baltimore and raised on Cuthbert Avenue in Pimlico, she attended St. Ambrose's Parochial School and joined the religious order in 1941, attending the sisters' high school in Fort Lee, N.J. She received the name Marie Edwina and earned a bachelor's degree at the College of Notre Dame...