Sr. Patricia O’Donnell, OP

Sister Patricia O'Donnell, OP (formerly Sister Ann Manus), a member of the Sisters of Saint Dominic of Caldwell for 64 years, died after a sudden illness at Mountainside Hospital, Glen Ridge, NJ on March 4, 2021 at the age of 80, 3 weeks shy of her 81st birthday. On Wednesday, March 10th, a wake and funeral Mass will be held at St. Aloysius Church, 219 Bloomfield Ave., Caldwell, NJ. The wake will be from 9:30 - 10:30 a.m. followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 10:30 a.m. Graveside services will follow at Gethsemane Cemetery on the Motherhouse grounds.

Sister Patricia was a woman of faith, kind, reliable and proud of her Irish ancestry and loved the beach. She is loved and remembered by many people. She was often heard asking, "Do you need anything?" She was very generous and conscious of those who did not have what they needed. She learned this from her parents, Manus and Anna (McMahon) O'Donnell. Sister Patricia entered the Sisters of Saint Dominic of Caldwell on September 8, 1957, received the habit on June 7, 1958, made first profession on June 13, 1959 and final profession on June 13, 1965.

Sister earned a Bachelor's Degree majoring in English and Elementary Education from Caldwell College (Caldwell University) and two Master Degrees, one from New Jersey City University in Secondary English and the second from Caldwell University in Pastoral Ministry. She had Certification from the New Jersey Education Department for Elementary Education and Secondary English.

Sister Patricia put her heart and soul into everything she did. Her spectrum of dedicated experience included teaching the primary level at St. Paul in Irvington, before teaching middle schoolers at Mt. Carmel in Boonton, St. Joseph in West Orange, St. Mary in Wharton, and Our Lady of Peace in New Providence. Sister then became English Department Chairperson at St. Dominic Academy in Jersey City. She also taught at Union Catholic Girls High School in Scotch Plains before becoming principal of St. Denis in Manasquan. After twenty-two years in education, Sister Patricia served as pastoral minister at Visitation Parish in Brick and then, for fifteen years as the adult education coordinator at St. Catharine Parish in Spring Lake.

Sister Patricia was predeceased by her parents, Manus and Anna. She is survived by her brother, James O'Donnell, two nieces, Siobhan McAndrew and Deirdre Kelly, as well as grandnieces and a grandnephew and her loving Sisters of St. Dominic.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations to the Sisters of St. Dominic, One Ryerson Avenue, Caldwell, NJ 07006 would be appreciated.

Condolences may be left at proutfuneralhome.com.