Sister Mary Patricia 

Sister Mary Patricia                ND 4030                  PDF Download

(formerly Sister Mary Vaune)

Patricia Anne GANNON

Christ the King Province, Chardon, Ohio, USA

Date and Place of Birth: December 30, 1924 Cleveland, Ohio
Date and Place of Profession: August 17, 1944 Cleveland, Ohio
Date and Place of Death: February 21, 2020 Health Care Center, Chardon, Ohio
Date and Place of Funeral: February 27, 2020 Provincial Center, Chardon, Ohio
Date and Place of Burial: February 28, 2020 Resurrection Cemetery, Chardon

Patricia treasured her parents, Martin and Leone (Ante) Gannon, and her three younger brothers. Family bonds were strong as their parents nurtured and witnessed to their own faith life, love and concern for all. These were happy, playful years enjoying amazing adventures with her brothers and friends. After graduating from St. Charles Borromeo School in Parma, Patricia attended St. Stephen High School in Cleveland for one year and then transferred to Notre Dame Academy in Cleveland as an aspirant. She became a postulant on February 2, 1942, and at investment received the name Sister Mary Vaune. Later, she returned to her beloved baptismal name, Patricia.

Sister Mary Patricia earned a bachelor’s degree from St. John College in Cleveland and a master of education degree from St. Louis University in Missouri. Her entire life of ministry was focused on education. Sister possessed a natural enthusiastic and joyful spirit and had the ability to read into the potential of each person: encouraging, motivating and inspiring confidence in both students and colleagues alike. She was respected and loved for her leadership style and gentle challenges.

After serving as teacher and/or principal in elementary schools in the Cleveland Diocese for seventeen years, Sister Mary Patricia was missioned to India from 1965-1983. She worked tirelessly for the further development of Notre Dame Academy in Jamalpur and for the teacher training of the junior professed sisters. She was the cofounder of the first mission in Mysore in southern India, and assisted with the process of transferring leadership of Sophia High School in Bangalore to the Sisters of Notre Dame. Sister Mary Patricia was instrumental in founding the Sophia Opportunity School for children with special learning needs and multiple disabilities. She had great respect for the people and the culture of India—she lived within the culture and made it her own. 

In 1991 Sister was asked to become the superior of the Stella Maris District in England. Here she again loved the people and lived the culture. She radiated a sense of peace through her gentle words and pleasant disposition and was the essence of kindness, good humor, grace and charm. Sister established the English Language School especially for our sisters from Asia and Brazil. “It was an opportunity for the sisters of the Stella Maris Disctrict to serve the Congregation and to deepen their ministry of hospitality.” Today, this Language School is located at our Motherhouse in Rome.

When Sister Mary Patricia returned to the United States in 2002, her days became more quiet with time for renewing friendships with her sisters and exploring the Chardon property. For the past eighteen years, she has assisted in the Chardon archives. “It is a blessing I am reminded of daily—by a photograph, a note, an email, or a page from history—that I am part of an ongoing daily commitment of many dedicated women to the work of God and the Church.” Her engaging smile and inner peace were both gift and blessing to all. We are grateful to Sister Mary Patricia for her life of selfless service and for her love. These were truly gifts from God to us. May she live now in God’s love for all eternity.