Obituary of Sr. Mary Mercedes Eisenman

Sister Mary Mercedes Eisenman, age 89, a Sister of Mercy of the Americas and member of the Mid-Atlantic Community, died peacefully on Saturday, September 4, 2010 at McAuley Hall Health Care Center in Watchung, NJ. Sister Mercedes was born in Bridgeport, CT, October 23, 1920, and entered the Sisters of Mercy from Sacred Heart Parish in 1942. She earned a BA degree in Latin from Georgian Court College, Lakewood, NJ, and a Ph.D. in Theology from St. Mary School of Sacred Theology, Notre Dame, IN. She was one of the first sisters in the country and the first Sister of Mercy of New Jersey to earn the coveted title "Doctor of Theology." Sister Mercedes taught Latin, religion and psychology at Mount Saint Mary Academy for 36 years. She was also an adjunct professor of philosophy and theology at Georgian Court College and Mount Saint Mary Junior College for 37 years. From 1967 to 1970 she served as director of novices for the Sisters of Mercy of New Jersey. Sister Mercedes retired from teaching in 1991 and assumed the position of assistant to the development director until 2001. Her final retirement began in 2001, and she continued to volunteer at the Academy until 2006. Faith, the strong belief in a God who desires the happiness and salvation of all people; family, the Eisenman and Miller clan and her beloved Sisters of Mercy; friends, especially her traveling companions; and her ministry of teaching the Word of God were her special loves. Sister Mercedes was preceded in death by her parents, William Charles Eisenman and Theodora Miller; her sister, Ruth Eisenman Simmons; her nephews, Mark and James Francis Simmons; her brothers, Karl and Robert Eisenman; her uncle, Father Wilber Miller; and her two aunts, Sister Mary Mark Miller and Reverend Mother Mary Bertrand Miller, both Sisters of Mercy of New Jersey. She is survived by her sister-in-law, Lillian Eisenman; her nieces, Barbara Eisenman (Jurczak ), Jeanne Eisenman (Garza ), Norma Eisenman (Savarino ), Mary Simmons (Rottblatt) ; her nephews, Karl, Paul, Richard, Robert, and Scott Eisenman, David and John Simmons; and several grandnieces, grandnephews, great-grandnieces and great-grandnephews. Visitation will take place from 10:30 AM to 12:30 PM on Wednesday, September 8, 2010 at Immaculate Conception Chapel, Mount Saint Mary, Watchung, NJ followed by a Mass of Christian burial. Burial in Holy Redeemer Cemetery, South Plainfield, NJ. Memorial Contributions may be made to Sister of Mercy Mid-Atlantic Community 1645 Highway 22, Watchung, NJ 07069 Watchung, NJ 07069 Arrangements by Higgins Home for Funerals, Watchung, NJ