Obituary of Sr. Elizabeth Catherine O'Leary
Sister Elizabeth Catherine O’Leary (religious name Sister Mary Vida), age 95, died peacefully on April 17, 2025, at McAuley Hall Health Care Center in Watchung, New Jersey. She was born to Arthur and Elizabeth O'Leary in Paulsboro, New Jersey. Her education began at Loudenslayer Elementary School in Paulsboro and continued at Paulsboro High School. Sister Elizabeth pursued a Bachelor of Arts in elementary education at Georgian Court College (now University) in Lakewood and graduated in 1970. She was a Sister of Mercy for 68 years.
Sister Elizabeth was a bit older than most young women discerning a vocation. At the time, she was 26 years old and had been teaching CCD classes and working for many years. During World War II, she and her classmates would leave school to work at a sewing factory, where they made uniforms for American soldiers. Later, she worked for Bell Telephone as a telephone operator serving the switchboards for Fort Dix and McGuire Air Force Base.
After taking her final vows, Sister Elizabeth’s first ministry was teaching at St. Joseph School in North Plainfield, St. Mary Inner City School in Camden, and St. Paul School in Princeton. She left her education ministries after 18 years to co-found a facility called Laurel House, a group home for troubled teenage girls in Trenton. After the facility closed due to a loss of funding, she reopened it as Francis House of Prayer, serving as its director for 12 years. While there, she enrolled in classes at the Jesuit Retreat Center of Spiritual Growth in Wernersville, PA, and received certification in spiritual direction and retreat work. She served for 35 years as a visiting retreat director at the Wernersville Center. In addition to her retreat work, Sister Elizabeth served the poor, the homeless, and the deinstitutionalized at Mercy Center in Asbury Park, and served 10 years as chaplain at the cancer unit in Riverview Medical Center in Red Bank. She spent her final years at McAuley Hall Health Care Center in Watchung, New Jersey, in a community that she loved.
Sister Elizabeth was preceded in death by her beloved brothers Thomas, Arthur, and Charles. She is survived by her two brothers, Gerald and Edward.
Visitation will take place at McAuley Hall Heath Care Center, 1633 Highway 22, Watchung, New Jersey, on Friday, April 25, 2025.
Wake: 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
Welcome Home Service: 10:15 a.m.
Mass of Christian Burial: 11:00 a.m.
Burial will be held at Holy Redeemer Cemetery, 1734 Clinton Avenue, South Plainfield, NJ.
Memorial donations may be made to Sisters of Mercy, 1645 US Highway 22, Watchung, New Jersey 07069.
