Sister Mary Gallagher (Sr. James Irene), 89, beloved member of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Springfield, died at Bethany Health Care Center in Framingham on June 18, 2022. A native of West Springfield, she was the daughter of James F. and Irene J. (Carmel) Gallagher.
Sister Mary graduated from Cathedral High School in Springfield and entered the Sisters of St. Joseph of Springfield from St. Thomas the Apostle Parish in 1951. She earned a BA from the College of Our Lady of the Elms in Chicopee and an M.A. in Library Science from The Catholic University of America in Washington, DC.
Sister Mary taught for nine years in schools in the Springfield Diocese including St. Joseph High School in Pittsfield, and St. Jerome, Holy Rosary, and Holyoke Catholic High Schools in Holyoke. She was assistant librarian at Elms College, Chicopee and a research scholar at Emmanuel College. Sister served as an editor for Catholic Library World and was an Officer of the Catholic Library Association. Sister became the Elms College Archivist in 2000 and served for 12 years.
Sister Mary was preceded in death by her parents, her step-father John E. Stamant, her brothers William Gallagher, John Stamant and Robert Stamant and her sister Jean Jurek. In addition to her Sisters in community, Sr. Mary leaves her brother Edward Gallagher, her sister Betty Harkins, her brother-in-law Fred Harkins and several generations of loving nieces and nephews.
Services for Sr. Mary will take place at Blessed Sacrament Church in Holyoke, MA on Thursday, June 23, 2022. She will be waked from 9:00 AM to 9:45 AM with a prayer service at 9:15 AM. The Liturgy of Christian Burial will follow at 10:00 AM. Burial will be in Mont Marie Cemetery in Holyoke.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Sisters of St. Joseph, 577 Carew St., Springfield, MA 01104 or to The College of Our Lady of the Elms, 291 Springfield St. Chicopee, MA 01013.