Obituary of Sister Miriam Cecil Rohr

Sister Miriam Cecil Rohr, OSF, of the Franciscan Sisters of Allegany died Saturday (April 12, 2008) at St. Elizabeth Motherhouse in Allegany. Born Mary Elizabeth Rohr on Dec. 28, 1907, in Brooklyn, she was the daughter of Adam and Katherine Rose Kreise Rohr, formerly Long Island City. She was received into the Franciscan Sisters of Allegany at Elizabeth Motherhouse on Aug. 15, 1942, and professed her final religious vows on Aug. 16, 1949. Sister Miriam Cecil lived fully the mission of the Franciscan Sisters of Allegany. Her ministry began in 1943 as housekeeper and cook at Immaculate Conception Convent in Jamaica, West Indies. Throughout her years of service to her Franciscan sisters and God's people as cook, dietitian, sacristan, maintenance person and driver, Sister Miriam Cecil ministered at St. Elizabeth Motherhouse in Allegany, St. Mary's Convent in Rome. N.Y., St. Clare's Convent in Buffalo, Holy Cross Convent in Bronx, Mother Alice Pavilion in Manhattan, St. Elizabeth Convent in Croghan, St. Margaret's Home in Providence, R.I., St. Margaret Convent in Winsted, Conn., St. Patrick's Convent in Catskill, Mount Carmel Convent in Mount Vernon, Our lady of victory Convent in Allegany, St. Patrick Convent in Lowell, Mass., St. Clare's Convent in Pittsburg, pa., St. Joseph Villa in Catskill and St. Elizabeth Residence in Allegany. In 1973, Sister Miriam Cecil responded to the congregation's request for semi-retired sisters to volunteer for a year in a mission outside the United States and was assigned to Marymount Convent in Highgate, Jamaica, West Indies. Upon returning to the U.S., she served at Holy Trinity Convent and Grace House in Alden. In 1979 she returned to St. Elizabeth Motherhouse, where she continued to meet the needs of her Franciscan sisters as a driver and through a variety of acts of kindness. In her retirement, sister Miriam Cecil continued her Franciscan mission of prayer, hospitality and service. In addition to the Franciscan Sisters of Allegany, she is survived by a sister Katherine Taber; and several nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her parents; three brothers, Nicholas Rohr, Peter Rohr, and Joseph Rohr; and three sisters, Helen Hughes, Betty Raczko and Magdalen Raczko. A wake service is scheduled this evening at 7o'clock in St. Elizabeth Motherhouse. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Tuesday (April 15, 2008) at 10:30 a.m. in the Motherhouse Chapel. Interment will follow in St. Bonaventure Cemetery, Allegany. Arrangements are under direction of the Letro-McIntosh-Spink Funeral Home Inc. Olean.