Sister Theresa Fitzgerald

Sister Theresa Fitzgerald, IHM, (formerly known as Sister Mary Lena) of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary died on Monday, February 8, 2021,  at Our Lady of Peace Residence in Scranton.

She was born on September 5, 1932, in Dushore, PA. She was the daughter of the late James and Lena Stiff Fitzgerald. She entered the IHM Congregation on September 8, 1950, and made her temporary profession of vows on August 2, 1953, and her final profession of vows on August 2, 1956.  

Sister Theresa served as a teacher in the following schools: St. John the Evangelist Elementary School in Binghamton, NY, from 1953 to 1954; St. Ambrose Elementary School in Bridgeport, CT, from 1954 to 1963; St. Rita Elementary School in Dundalk, MD, from 1963 to 1968; St. Ephrem Elementary School in Brooklyn, NY, from 1970 to 1976; Holy Rosary Elementary School in Scranton, PA, from 1976 to 1979; Bishop Neumann High School in Williamsport, PA, from 1979 to 1984; and Archbishop Neale Elementary School in La Plata, MD, from 1984 to 1985. Sister also served as a teacher and library assistant at St. Agnes Elementary School in Baltimore, MD, from 1994 to 2004.

Sister served as principal at St. John the Evangelist Elementary School in Binghamton, NY, from 1968 to 1970.

Sister Theresa also served as assistant registrar at Marywood College in Scranton, PA, from 1985 to 1994; and accounting assistant in the Business Office at the IHM Center in Scranton, PA, from 2004 to 2013. Sister was a volunteer and also an Educational Enrichment Institute instructor at the IHM Center in Scranton, PA, from 2013 to 2014.

From 2014 until the time of her death, Sister Theresa was a prayer minister at Our Lady of Peace Residence.

She received a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Master of Science degree both in elementary education from Marywood College.

She is preceded in death by seven brothers, Edward, Joseph, James, Paul, Patrick, Peter and William; and two sisters, Catherine Muller and Helen Tourscher.

She is survived by a sister, Cecilia Lapinsky of Wilmington, NC; a brother-in-law, Francis Tourscher of Dushore, PA; four sisters-in-law, Carleen Fitzgerald of Sugar Run, PA, Melinda Fitzgerald of Dushore, PA, Donna Fitzgerald of Reno, NV, and Dorothy Fitzgerald of Fayetville, NC; nieces and nephews; and grandnieces and grandnephews. She is also survived by the members of the IHM Congregation.

Due to restrictions related to the coronavirus, the funeral mass and graveside services are private. Interment will be at St. Catherine’s Cemetery in Moscow, PA. The funeral mass for our Sister Theresa Fitzgerald will be on Thursday, February 11, at 11:00 am. Sisters, family, and friends can watch at:  https://video.ibm.com/channel/ihm-tv

Memorial contributions may be made to support the retired IHM Sisters c/o the IHM Sisters Retirement Fund, IHM Center, 2300 Adams Avenue, Scranton, PA 18509.