O’Keefe, Sister Maria
Lawrence, 87 years, a Sister of St. Martha of
Antigonish, died at St. Martha’s Regional Hospital, on
Wednesday, September 21st, 2022, in the
67th year of her Religious
Life.
Born in
Sydney, Nova Scotia, she was the daughter of John Joseph and Matilda
Jane (Burgey) O’Keefe.
Sr. Maria
Lawrence entered the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Martha on
August 15, 1953, pronounced her first vows on August 15, 1955, and her
perpetual profession of vows on August 15,
1958.
Coming from a
family of educators, she lived her vocation as a Martha as an educator
as well. She attended St. Francis Xavier University, earning a Jr.
Diploma in Education in 1957, returning to earn a BA and BEd in 1969.
She taught in and served as principal in several schools in Cape
Breton; Ingonish; Main-a-Dieu; and Bras d’Or. It was while
in Main-a-Dieu that a request from a parent to accept their deaf child
into her school turned into a career working with deaf children and
their families. She obtained an MA in Education, specializing in
education of deaf children from the University of Moncton. Along the
way she also obtained an MA in Special Education from St. FX. She
became a teacher and supervisor at the Atlantic Provincial School for
Deaf in Amherst, NS. She travelled throughout Nova Scotia advocating
for, establishing programs, and supervising the education of many
children with hearing challenges. In 1984, accompanying her students,
she met Pope John Paul II, at the IWK in
Halifax.
After a career
of 38 years as an educator, she served on several Boards and
Committees, within the Congregation and in the larger community. She
was a dedicated care giver to several members of her family until her
own health brought her to Martha Place. A practical, kind woman with
good sense of humour, Sr. Maria Lawrence never met a cat she
didn’t like.
Sister Maria
Lawrence is survived by her brother Gregory, and by her sisters-in
law, nephews and nieces and their families. Besides her parents she
was predeceased by brothers Lawrence and Redmond and sister Olive
MacPhee.
Following the
recommendations and procedures in this time of COVID, the remains will
rest at Martha Place, Parkland Antigonish, where a private Celebration
of Vigil will be held followed by a private Liturgy of Christian
Burial on Tuesday September 27th, 2022, at
1:30pm in St. Martha Chapel at Martha
Place.
Arrangements
are under the direction of C.L. Curry Funeral Services of Antigonish.
Online condolences: www.clcurry.com