Millburn Obituary: Longtime Nun Was ‘Like A Mother’ To Those She Cared For

MILLBURN, NJ — Millburn native Mary Daniel, a longtime sister at the Monastery of Our Lady of the Rosary, passed away on March 11. The following obituary comes courtesy of Ippolito Funeral Homes:

“Sr. Mary Daniel of God, O.P. (Born Florence “Flossie” Sammartino) , 92, of Summit, NJ passed away at Saint Catherine of Siena Nursing Home in Caldwell, NJ, on Saturday, March 11, 2017.

“The visitation will be held at the Monastery of Our Lady of the Rosary, 543 Springfield Ave., Summit, on Wed., Mar. 15th, from 5:30 – 8:30 PM and Thurs. Mar. 16th from 8:30 AM - 2 PM. The Funeral Mass will be celebrated at the Monastery following the visitation on Thursday beginning at 2:30 PM. Arrangements by Paul Ippolito Summit Memorial.

“Sr. Mary Daniel was born in Millburn, NJ. She entered the Monastery of Our Lady of the Rosary on April 30, 1946. Sr. Mary Daniel professed 1st vows on December 9, 1947 and final vows on December 9, 1950. During her more than 70 years in the Monastery, she held the offices of Prioress, Novice Mistress, Bursar, Sacristan, and seamstress.

“Sr. Mary Daniels will probably be most remembered as the Sister in charge of maintenance. In that capacity she supervised as many as eight workmen at a time, many of them young men working as they attended college. She was a second mother to them all, young and not so young, listening to them with sympathy, seeing that they were well fed from the monastery kitchen and that they did their assigned jobs, while turning a blind eye to their hi-jinx. Often they would return in later years, growing families in tow, to tell her how grateful they were for the good start she gave them in life. Even after she “retired” from this position, the sisters would go to her with questions about the furnace or the breaker panel or the laundry equipment. She knew where everything was and how it worked!

“In her last years, as her seemingly boundless energy finally waned, she would gladly spend extra time saying the Rosary before the Blessed Sacrament and occupied herself mounting Blessed Roses for people who requested them through the Monastery Gift Shop or the mail.

“Sr. Mary Daniels was pre-deceased by her parents, Daniel and Angela (Casale) Sammartino and her siblings John, Joseph, Dominic, Rocco, Salvatore, Catherine, Rose, Katie, Carmela, Ann, and Lucy. She is survived by her dear sister, Mary (Constantine) Solazzi and many loving nieces and nephews.

“In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in Sr. Mary Daniel’s memory to the Dominican Nun’s Campaign 543 Springfield Ave., Summit, NJ 07901.”

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