Posted September 8, 2025

Sister Marie Hubert Kealy died in Camilla Hall on August 21, 2025, in the 70th year of her religious life. Mary Catherine Kealy was born on December 13, 1935, in Mount Carmel, Pennsylvania. Her parents Hubert and Catherine (Houston) Kealy raised their family of seven children in Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish in Mt. Carmel, Pennsylvania.

Mary Catherine attended Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Elementary School (1941-1949), “Catholic High” in Mt. Carmel (1949-1953) and Immaculata College (1953-1955). Mary Catherine entered the Community in September 1955 and completed her degree work at Immaculata College in English and Latin in 1959. While in the Community, Sister earned an M.A. in English from Catholic University of America and at the University of Pennsylvania, Sister earned a Ph.D. in English.

As mentioned, Mary Catherine entered the Community on September 8, 1955, she received her religious name, Sister Marie Hubert, and her habit on March 8, 1956, and she pronounced First Vows on August 15, 1957.
In the fall of 1957, Sister went to St. Joseph School where she taught sixth grade for one year and seventh grade for the second year. At the end of the term (1960), Sister went to Holy Family School in Manayunk where she taught 7th and 8th graders for one year. In the fall of 1960 through the term ended in 1963, Sister Marie Hubert went to St. James Parish in Falls Church, Virginia where she taught eighth students. This period marked the end of Sister’s teaching elementary-aged students.

Beginning in the fall of 1963 and ending in the spring of 1976, Sister Marie Hubert taught high school students at Trinity in Shiremanstown, Pennsylvania, Central Catholic in Allentown, Marian Catholic in Coaldale, and Lancaster Catholic in Lancaster.

Sister went to teach at Immaculata College in the fall of 1976 through the spring of 1982. Sister Marie Hubert then began advanced study at the University of Pennsylvania.

Sister returned to her beloved Immaculata (1986) and for the next 36 years Sister Marie Hubert served the Immaculata Community as Teacher, Mentor, Religious Sister, Guide, and Friend. When Sister left Immaculata University at the term’s end in 2022 the treasured term remained: Immaculata University – Professor Emerita – English.

Sister Marie Hubert is survived by, in addition to her IHM Community, her sisters Patricia J. Kealy, Loretta (Kealy) Vancko, brother-in-law, Bob Pels and her nieces, grandnieces, and grandnephews. Sister is predeceased by her parents Hubert Joseph Kealy and Catherine (Houston) Kealy, her sisters Sister Elizabeth Ann Kealy IHM, Ellen Pels, and her brothers Reverend Hubert J. Kealy and John J. Kealy.

Reverend John Burger, C.S.C. celebrated Sister Marie Hubert’s Funeral Mass at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday September 3, 2025. Father William Trader, O.Praem. and Deacon Thomas O’Brien joined Father Burger at the altar.

In Sister Marie Hubert’s memory, a memorial donation may be sent to:

Camilla Hall Nursing Home
IHM Mission Advancement Office
230 IHM Drive
Malvern, PA 19355