Obituary: Sister Jeanne Houlihan, M.M., Dies At 93

MARYKNOLL, NY — Sister Jeanne Houlihan, M.M., died on Tuesday, March 26, 2024, at the Maryknoll Sisters Center, Maryknoll, NY. She was 93 years old and had been a Maryknoll Sister for 72 years.

On February 11, 1931, Sister Jeanne was born in St. Louis, MO to Catherine R. (Dondon) Houlihan and Joseph P. Houlihan. She had three brothers and five sisters; she is survived by her two sisters, Janine Fawcett and Barbara Barnett.

From 1945 to 1949, Sister Jeanne attended St. Joseph's Academy High School in St. Louis, MO. She earned her Bachelor of Science Degree in Dietetics from Fontbonne College in 1952 also in St. Louis. Sister Jeanne then attended St. Louis University earning her Masters of Education in Administration in 1972. She entered the Maryknoll Sisters Congregation in Maryknoll, New York, on September 2, 1952, from her home parish (St. Monica in Creve Coeur, MO) in the St. Louis Diocese. She pronounced her First Profession of Vows on March 7, 1955, in Maryknoll, NY, and her Final Vows on March 7, 1961, in Hong Kong.

In 1955, Sister Jeanne received her first overseas mission assignment to Hong Kong. After studying the Chinese Language at the University of Hong Kong, she started to teach religion and home economics at the Maryknoll Convent School. She dedicated 23 years (1968-1991) at the Maryknoll Convent School serving as Principal, Supervisor and Chairperson of the secondary schools consecutively. She also served as Biblical Knowledge Examination Coordinator.

In 1991, she returned to the Maryknoll Sisters Center in Maryknoll, NY, for Congregational Services as Director of the Development Department until 2001. In 2002, she returned to Hong Kong once again to serve as English Teacher at the Maryknoll Convent School where she spent another nine years until 2011.

In 2012, Sister Jeanne returned to the Maryknoll Sisters Center, Maryknoll, NY, to semi-retire, volunteering in the Development Department until her full retirement in 2022. Sister Jeanne was assigned to the Maryknoll Sisters Home Care Unit at the Sisters Center until her passing on March 26, 2024.

A Vespers Service was held for Sister Jeanne on Thursday in the Chapel of the Annunciation at the Maryknoll Sisters Center, Maryknoll, NY.

A Mass of Christian Burial was held on Friday at the Maryknoll Sisters Center.