Posted October 2, 2008

Compiled by
Angela Arrington


Sister Maria Loyola Dougherty, I.H.M.
Sister Maria Loyola Dougherty, I.H.M., formerly Alice Marie Dougherty, died on Aug. 31, 2008 at Camilla Hall, Immaculata. She was born in Philadelphia and entered the congregation of Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary in 1946. She professed her vows in 1948. Her first years were spent teaching in various elementary schools in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. From 1957 to 1963 she was a reading specialist at Good Shepherd, Most Blessed Sacrament and St. Patrick Schools, all in Philadelphia. For the next 28 years she taught junior high school, where she served as vice principal and principal. Later, she was assigned to the Villa Maria House of Studies and assumed a dual role of household management director for the motherhouse and educational enrichment teacher for the young sisters. From 1999 until her death, she was a librarian at St. Teresa School in Runnemede, N.J. She was predeceased by her parents, James C. and Alice Sexton Dougherty, three brothers, John, Thomas and James, and one sister, Margaret Mary. A funeral Mass was celebrated on Sept. 4. She is survived by her brother, Edward, eight nieces, one nephew, many grandnieces and grandnephews and members of her religious community.

Edward J. Neary Jr.
Edward J. Neary Jr. died on Sept. 15, 2008, in the company of family members at Reading Hospital and Medical Center. He was 63. He was born in Philadelphia to the late Edward J. Sr. and Dorothy Arnold Neary. He was a member of St. Catherine of Siena Church, Reading and a member of the Legion of Mary – Pro-Life and was employed as an office manager for a federal bond collection service. He is predeceased by his sisters Liz Heasly and Virginia Marie. A funeral Mass was celebrated at St. Catherine of Siena Church, Reading. Interment followed at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery. He his survived by his wife Jean C. (nee Beck); his children, Jeannie, Dott, Emily, Regina, Mary, Maria and Edward III; 23 grandchildren; six brothers and three sisters.

Genevieve Skindeleski
Genevieve “Polly” Skindeleski died Sept. 27, 2008 in Boynton Beach, Fla. She was 90. Formerly a resident of Ardsley in Montgomery County, she was the daughter of the late John and Mary (Tesla) Politowski and married to the late John J. Skindeleski. Polly coached girls field hockey and softball at Bishop McDevitt High School in Wyncote, and girls track and volleyball for the CYO at Queen of Peace Parish, Ardsley. She also served as a crossing guard at the parish school, prefect of the parish sodality and president of the school’s parent-teacher association. She volunteered for the last 13 years at Bethesda Hospital in Boynton Beach. Visitation will be held Oct. 9 at Queen of Peace Church from 9 to 10:30 a.m., followed by a funeral Mass. Interment will follow at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, Philadelphia. She is survived by her children, Msgr. Thomas J., Cate and Jeanne Bradley, and brothers Anthony and Stanley Politowski. She was predeceased by a son, John Jr.