Buckley, Sister Alice, formerly Sister Leo Charles, 93, a
Sister of St. Martha of Antigonish, died at Bethany, the Motherhouse
on February 11, 2018, in the 61st year of her religious life.
Born in Sydney, Nova Scotia, she was one of five
children of the late Ignatius Walter and Margaret
(O’Connell) Buckley. Prior to entering the
Congregation of the Sisters of St. Martha, Sister Alice graduated from
Mt. St. Bernard College in Antigonish with her Secretarial Arts
Diploma in 1942. After working for a few years, she entered
St. Martha’s Hospital’s School of Nursing and
graduated with her R. N. in 1948. She did one year
post-graduate work at Dalhousie University in teaching and supervision
in Schools of Nursing. Sister taught at St.
Joseph’s Hospital School of Nursing in Glace Bay and worked
as floor supervisor at St. Rita Hospital in Sydney.
On February 15, 1955, Sister Alice entered the
Congregation. She pronounced her first vows on February 15,
1957 and her perpetual vows on August 15, 1961. Besides
Bethany, Sister Alice served at St. Martha’s Regional
Hospital and St. Martha’s Convent on the campus of St.
Francis Xavier University, all in Antigonish; and at the former Holy
Heart Seminary in Halifax. For many years, Sister Alice suffered
personally with illness. She also ministered in the
spiritual life of many of the sick and dying in hospitals of the
Congregation, as well as to her Religious Sisters. She
reached out to those who were bed-ridden and prayed for all who
ministered to her, and carried their intentions in her heart.
Sister Alice is the last surviving member of her
immediate family. Besides her parents, Sister was
predeceased by two sisters, Mary, and Eileen MacDonald, and by two
brothers, Charles and Dr. Bernard. She is survived by
several devoted nieces, nephews, and grand-nieces and nephews.
The remains will be resting at Bethany, beginning
Tuesday, February 13, at 1:15. A Celebration of Vigil will
be held that same evening at 7:30. Liturgy of Christian
Burial will be held on Wednesday, February 14, at 2:00 p.m. in the
former Bethany Chapel.
Funeral arrangements
are under the direction of C. L. Curry Funeral Home,
Antigonish. Online condolences:
www.clcurry.com