Posted May 27, 2026

Sister M. Claire Sullivan, formerly known as Sister M. Edward Dolores Tyrrell, died on May 4, 2026 in Camilla Hall. Sister served 75 years as a Sister Servant of the Immaculate Heart of Mary on two continents.

Born February 19, 1933 to her parents, Edward J. and Frances (Tyrrell), both of Philadelphia, she was preceded in death by all her siblings, including her brothers Edward and Joseph and her sisters, Eileen Flynn, Sr. Marie Sullivan SSJ and Anne C. ‘Nancy’ Sullivan. In addition to her IHM Community, she is survived by numerous nephews and nieces.

Sister Claire attended St. Bridget Parish School through the elementary grades and Hallahan High School, graduating in 1950. She entered the IHM community in September 1951, and was received in March, 1952, making her first vows on March 11, 1954.

Thereupon, Sister Claire began her teaching of music and in primary grades in St. Raphael Parish. Shortly after, she was assigned to continue her work at St. Margaret Mary School in Essington and after that for seven years at St. Stephen School in Port Carbon. Then after five years teaching third grade and music at St. Anselm parish in northeast Philadelphia Sister began what would become a lifelong career working in Hispanic ministries with her transfer to Immaculado Corazon in Lima, Peru in 1968. That same year she completed her Bachelor of Arts degree in Music from Immaculata College. In 1972 Sister was assigned to San Antonio, Callao, Chile for seventh and eighth grade religion. In 1973 Sister added a second degree, a bachelor’s degree in Spanish from Immaculata College.  Sister’s assignment then took her to Barranca to teach Religion in grades 7 through 11 at Colegio Ventura Ccalamaqui while residing at San Ildefonso. Returning for a year in 1974 to the U.S., Sister taught in the middle grades at St. Agatha School in the University City section of Philadelphia. In 1975 Sister became a religion teacher in grades 1 through 3, again in Barranca, Peru.

After a short stay again in Philadelphia at St. Agatha’s grades four through six, Sister returned to her beloved primary students in Barranca until her return to the U.S. to St. Veronica’s primary in 1980.  In 1983, Sister transitioned place and grade going to Santiago for grade seven. Sister’s work had a more radical revision as she began in 1985 to offer pastoral ministry in La Ligua, Chile at Nuestra Senora del Rosario for the next 3+ years. On return to the U.S. in 1989 Sister Claire took up residence at Villa Maria Faculty House in Allentown while continuing in pastoral ministry in that diocese. Reassigned to Chile in 1991, Sister served as a pastoral minister at LaLigua, Chile for the next eight years, until moving to San Antonio in 1999 to work as an advisor (Asesora) at the Religion Education Instituto de Educacion in Callao as well as serving as local superior. While in that position in 2001, Sister Claire was also appointed by the IHM congregation as the Assistant Directress of the Temporary Professed Sisters responsible for their apostolic development.

With Sister Claire’s return to the States in 2004 she first took up residence at St. Teresa Convent in Runnemede working as Director of Religious Education for Spanish-speaking members of Holy Name parish in Camden, NJ. In 2008, Sister’s residence changed to Queen of Heaven in Cherry Hill. In 2012, Sister Claire undertook direction of the Hispanic ministry at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Camden, continuing in this work with a change in residence in 2016 to St. Teresa Convent in Runnemede.

In 2023, Sister moved to Camilla Hall Infirmary in Malvern to become a fulltime resident and member of the IHM Apostolate of Prayer and Presence until her death.

Reverend John Fisher, OSFS celebrated Mass and delivered the homily for Sister Claire’s Funeral Mass on Wednesday, May 6, 2026.

In Sister M. Claire Sullivan’s memory, a memorial donation may be sent to:

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