Posted March 18, 2013

Sister Margaret Benfield, I.H.M., formerly known as Sister Margaret William, died March 13 at the VNA Inpatient Hospice Unit at Geisinger-Community Medical Center in Scranton. She was 73 years old.

Born in Danville, Pa., she was the daughter of the late William and Margaret Tighe Benfield. She entered the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary in Immaculata on July 16, 1957, and made her temporary profession of vows on Jan. 16, 1960, and her final profession of vows on Aug. 15, 1965. She joined the Scranton I.H.M. Congregation in 1978.

She received a bachelor of arts degree in education from Immaculata College and a master of arts degree in counselor education from Marywood College.

Sister Margaret served as a teacher at the following schools: St. Clement, Philadelphia; St. Bernard, Easton, Pa.; St. Gabriel, Philadelphia; St. Edward, Shamokin, Pa.; Our Lady of Grace, Penndel; St. Matthew, Philadelphia; St. Dominic, Philadelphia; Holy Name of Jesus in Forty Fort, Pa.; Epiphany, Sayre, Pa.; and St. Paul, Scranton, Pa.
Sister Margaret also served as a counselor and administrative assistant at Lourdesmont in Clarks Green, Pa. She served as a volunteer at Our Lady of Peace Residence in Scranton.

From 2010 until the time of her death, Sister Margaret was a prayer minister at Our Lady of Peace Residence in Scranton.

She was preceded in death by a sister, Jane Benfield. She is survived by a brother, Wayne, of Mount Carmel, Pa.; and nieces and nephews.

The funeral Mass was celebrated Monday, March at Our Lady of Peace Residence in Scranton. Interment followed at St. Catherine’s Cemetery in Moscow, Pa.

Memorial contributions may be made to support the retired IHM Sisters c/o the IHM Sisters Retirement Fund, IHM Center, 2300 Adams Avenue, Scranton, PA 18509.