Posted October 28, 2013

Sister Mary Waldron, formerly known as Sister Ann Gabriel, died Oct. 15 at St. Joseph Villa, Flourtown. Her funeral followed on Oct. 22.

Sister Mary was born in England to an English mother and an Irish father. Her parents and two siblings found their way to Camden, N.J., where Mary grew up and attended Camden Catholic High School. She lost her own sister, Kathleen, this year. A simple, gentle, refined young woman, Mary entered the Sisters of St. Joseph in 1944.

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Sister Mary served as an elementary school teacher, music teacher and local coordinator, ministering at parishes in Pennsylvania, Maryland and Washington, D.C. She worked as a volunteer after many years of active ministry. Her final days were spent at St. Joseph Villa, where she was a resident since 2009.

Friends recalled Sister Mary’s gentle, refined disposition, accepting life’s ups and downs as they came. One of her ups was her love of Elvis Presely’s music. Mary continued to find pleasure in listening to Elvis tunes, first on her computer, then on an Elvis radio station.

Sister Mary Waldron lived the simple, hidden life that Sisters of St. Joseph consider a hallmark of their community.