Obituary of Sr. Mary Venard

Sister Mary Venard, age 95, died peacefully on Tuesday, May 4, 2021 at McAuley Hall in Watchung, NJ. The daughter of Joseph and Jane Dever, she was born and raised in South Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

She entered the Sisters of Mercy in Watchung in 1945 and received the name, Sister Mary Venard at her reception the following year. She received a Bachelor of Science degree from Georgian Court College, now University.

Her first teaching assignment was St. Joseph School in North Plainfield. From there she moved to St. John School in Collingswood where she taught upper grades for 11 years. Her next assignments were to Immaculate Conception School in Camden and St. Mary School in Trenton. In 1968, she was asked to be the school secretary at St. James School in Woodbridge where she served until 1974 when she was called to Mount St. Mary to provide secretarial and auxiliary services for the Academy and the community.

In 1999, she moved to the role of retired volunteer where she generously offered her time to all those she encountered. She was a faithful eucharistic minister at St. Mary Stony Hill, Watchung and found great joy serving in that role. She continued to reside at Mount St, Mary until she moved to McAuley Hall Health Care Center for skilled care.

She is survived by her sister Josephine Cohen, nieces and nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews, and many Sisters of Mercy.

Visitation will take place at Mount Saint Mary, 1645 Highway 22, Watchung, NJ on Saturday, May 8th, 2021.

Wake will be from 9-10 a.m.
Welcome Home Service will be held at 9:30 a.m.
Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m.
Burial will be in Saint Mary Stony Hill Cemetery, Watchung NJ.

Memorial donations may be made to Sisters of Mercy of the Americas, 1645 Highway 22 West, Watchung, NJ.