Obituary of Sr. Mary Carleen Rooney, OSF
Born: Mary Therese Rooney on September 11, 1932 in Utica, NY
Died: October 7, 2019 at St. Elizabeth Motherhouse, Allegany, NY
Daughter of: Catherine Amrhein Rooney and Carl B. Rooney
Sr. Mary Carleen Rooney entered the Franciscan Sisters of Allegany on September 3, 1950, was received into the congregation on August 15, 1951 and professed final vows on August 16, 1958. Committed to the Franciscan charism, Sister lived 70 years as a devoted member of the Allegany Franciscan Sisters sharing her life in community and ministry.
Sr. Carleen attended Blessed Sacrament Elementary School in Utica, NY and graduated in 1950 from St Francis De Sales High School. Carleen attended St. Elizabeth Teacher College in Allegany, NY, a part of St. Bonaventure University, from which she earned a B.S. degree in Education in 1963. She pursued graduate work in Education earning her M.S. degree from Fordham University in N.Y in 1964. She also received her Ph.D. in Education from Fordham in 1968.
While Sister Carleen began her ministry in elementary education, her gifts made it obvious that she was well suited for the college classroom. She then taught at St. Bonaventure University for almost 30 years. Her classes were well organized, scholarly and very well received. She introduced a new course, an Elementary Teacher Tutoring Program, which permitted the students at St. Bonaventure to acquire additional experience in local schools. Sister Carleen retired from teaching in 1998 and moved to St. Petersburg, FL, where she worked part time in Mission Effectiveness at St. Anthony Hospital. She was welcomed home to the Motherhouse in 2002 where her smile brightened the lives of all those with whom she came in contact.
Sister Carleen is predeceased by her parents and her brother, Carl. Jr. She is survived by her sister and husband, Eileen and Frank Nelson of Whitesboro, NY, along with many nieces and nephews.
A wake service is scheduled for Wednesday, October 9, 2019 at 6:30 PM in the chapel of St. Elizabeth Motherhouse. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Thursday, October 10, 2019 at 9:00 AM in the Motherhouse chapel. Burial will follow in St. Bonaventure Cemetery.
Arrangements are under the direction of Letro-McIntosh-Spink Funeral Home.
