Sister Maria Cordis Richey, RSM, age 97, peacefully entered eternal life on June 6, 2026, at McAuley Hall Health Care Center, Watchung, New Jersey.

Born Beverly Ann Richey on March 16, 1929, in Princeton, New Jersey, Sister Maria Cordis dedicated 75 years of her life to the Sisters of Mercy, entering the community on January 31, 1951.  A woman of deep faith, intellect, and creativity, she was a beloved educator, leader, writer, and poet whose influence reached far beyond the classroom.

Sister Maria Cordis began her ministry in education as a teacher at St. Mary High School in Perth Amboy from 1952 to 1957.  She then embarked on a distinguished and enduring career at Georgian Court College (now Georgian Court University) in Lakewood, New Jersey, where she served as a Professor of English and Chairwoman of the English Department from 1957 until 2015.  Her passion for literature was evident in both her teaching and scholarship.  She also served as President of the College from 1974 to 1980, during which time she led the institution in establishing its first master’s degree programs, in expanding its academic offerings, in launching coeducational evening undergraduate programs, and in approving several new academic majors.

A lifelong lover of language and beauty, Sister Maria Cordis earned her Bachelor’s degree in English from Georgian Court College and both her Master’s and Doctorate degrees in English, with a concentration in Medieval and Renaissance Literature, from Fordham University.  Her love of words found expression in her writing; she was the published author of Mercy 18731973, a centennial history of the Sisters of Mercy in New Jersey. Her poetry appeared in respected journals including Sewanee Review, Continuum Quarterly, Mosaic, Sign Magazine, Sister Today, and The Catholic World, as well as in other periodicals throughout the United States, Ireland, and New Zealand.

An accomplished gardener, Sister Maria Cordis took great pride in cultivating beauty, with roses as her particular specialty.  Those who knew her will remember her appreciation for color, language, and the simple yet profound joys of creation.

Known for her intellect, warmth, and creativity, Sister Maria Cordis inspired generations of students, colleagues, and friends.  Her legacy lives on in the countless lives she touched through her teaching, leadership, and artistry.

For the last 11 years, she resided at Gabriel Hall at Mount Saint Mary in Watchung, in the very same building she lived in as a proud graduate of Mount Saint Mary Academy.  In April, she moved to McAuley Hall Health Care Center, where she spent her final days surrounded by compassionate care and the loving presence of her Sisters in Mercy.

She was predeceased by her parents, Commander Joseph Leonard Richey and Florence Berset Richey; her brother, Richard David Richey, Sr., and her sister-in-law, Catherine M. Richey. She is survived by nieces Beverly Richey Green (William), Deborah Richey Commito (Paul), and nephew Richard David Richey, Jr. (Peggy). She is also survived by her great-nephews, Albert Toto and Alexander Commito, and great-niece, Lauren Richey, as well as great-grandnephews, Albert (Kathleen) and Andrew Toto, and great-grandniece, Ava Toto, and several cousins.

May she rest in peace and continue to inspire all who were fortunate enough to know her.

Services will take place at the Immaculate Conception Chapel at Mount Saint Mary, Watchung, New Jersey, on Tuesday, June 16, 2026:

Visitation: 9:00 am

Welcome Home Service (a time of shared remembrances): 10:00 am

Funeral Mass: 11:00 am

Burial will take place at Holy Redeemer Cemetery at 1734 Clinton Avenue, South Plainfield, NJ, on Wednesday, June 17, 2026, at 10:00 am.

 Memorial donations in lieu of flowers may be made to Sisters of Mercy, 1645 US 22 West, Watchung, New Jersey, 07069.