SCRANTON — Sister Mary William Philbin, IHM, of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary died on Wednesday, December 22, at Regional Hospital in Scranton, Pa.
She was born on October 3, 1946, in Scranton, and given the name Mary Therese.She was the first-born daughter of the late William and Mary Bohan Philbin. She entered the IHM Congregation on September 8, 1964, and made her temporary profession of vows on June 26, 1967, and her final profession of vows on August 26, 1972.
Sister Mary William served as a teacher in the following schools: St. Agnes Elementary School in Baltimore, Md., from 1969 to 1970; St. Ann Elementary School in Nyack, N.Y., from 1970 to 1973; St. Thomas Elementary School in Providence, R.I., from 1973 to 1978; St. Raymond Elementary School in East Rockaway, N.Y., from 1978 to 1979; Our Lady of Peace Elementary School in Clarks Green, Pa., from 1979 to 1983; St. Rose Elementary School in Carbondale, Pa., from 1983 to 1987; and St. Clare/St. Paul Elementary School in Scranton, Pa., from 1987 to 2016.
Sister also served on the support staff and as a Telespond volunteer at Our Lady of Peace Residence in Scranton, Pa., from 2016 until the time of her death.
Sister was educated in local parochial schools, graduating from South Catholic High School, class of 1964 and regularly attended the class reunions. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree in elementary education and a Master of Science degree in elementary education, both from Marywood College.
She is preceded in death by a beloved sister, Jeannie King, cousins Joan Harrington and Don and Mae Phillips.
She is survived by three loving sisters, Judy Digwood (husband David) Taylor; Nancy Laffey (husband Joseph) Moosic; Eileen Hayes (husband Martin) Scranton; nieces and nephews, namely Mark King, Erin O’Hora, Glen Digwood, Jill Kearney, Shawn Hayes, Sara Hayes, Matthew Hayes, Molly McDonough, Danny, Michael and Brian Laffey; eight cherished great nieces and nephews, namely Elisabeth, Kathryn and Madelyn O’Hora, Grace, Maggie and Annie Digwood and Harrison and Mason Hayes. She is survived by cousins Gerald and Nancy Phillips, George and Trudy Phillips, Theresa Philbin. She is also survived by the members of the IHM Congregation.
A memorial Mass in celebration of Sister Mary William’s life was held Thursday, December 30, at St. Paul Church, Scranton, Pa., with interment in St. Catherine’s Cemetery in Moscow, Pa.
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.
