Sister Mary Frances Lavelle (Sr. Agnes Philippa), 89, beloved member of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Springfield, died on June 22, 2017 in Bethany Healthcare Center, Framingham, MA. Born in Holyoke, MA she was the daughter of Philip and Bridget (Monahan) Lavelle.
Sister Mary Frances entered the Sisters of St. Joseph of Springfield from Sacred Heart Parish, Holyoke in 1946. She was graduated from Sacred Heart High School, Holyoke and earned her A.B. degree from the College of Our Lady of the Elms, Chicopee, and an M.A. in administration from North Adams State College.
Among Sister’s teaching assignments were: St. Joseph School, Cherry Valley, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart School, Springfield, Sacred Heart School, Gardner, Cathedral High School, Springfield, St. Peter Marion High School, Worcester, Holyoke Catholic High School, Holyoke, and St. Joseph High School, North Adams. In her latter years she served as Coordinator of Retirement at Mont Marie and as Community Archivist.
In addition to her sisters in community, she is survived by her siblings, Philip M. Lavelle of Quincy, MA, Michael J. Lavelle of Westfield, MA, Francis P. Lavelle of Marston Mills, MA and Sarah A. Dean, of Marston Mills, MA and by many nieces and nephews and their families. She was predeceased by her siblings John J. Lavelle, Charles E. Lavelle, and Teresa Pollard.
All services for Sr. Mary Frances Lavelle will take place in St. Joseph Chapel at Mont Marie on Monday, June 26, 2017. She will be waked from 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. with a prayer service at 10:00 a.m. The Liturgy of Christian Burial will follow at 11:00 a.m. Burial will be in Mont Marie Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Sisters of St. Joseph, 577 Carew St., Springfield, MA 01104.