Obituary for Sister Cecilia King, CSJP
Sister Cecilia, formerly known as Sister M. Isidore, (90), of Englewood Cliffs, NJ, died peacefully at St. Michael Villa on December 27 th , 2020. She was born on November 23, 1930 in Minna, Inverin, County Galway, Ireland, the fourth child of the late Patrick Joseph King and Margaret Teresa Morrissey King.
At the age of 16 she became an affiliate in the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace in Cabra, County Down, Ireland, on October 3,1947. Sister Cecilia became a Postulant on May 20, 1948 at St. Michael
Novitiate, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, then a Novice on September 8, 1948, and pronounced Final Vows there on August 22, 1953. Sister Cecilia received a certificate as a teacher of Braille at Catholic University, Washington, DC. She graduated from: Seton Hall University, South Orange, NJ with a B.S. in Education, Magna Cum Laude, and received the Bayley Seton Award; Providence College, Providence, R.I., with an M.A. in Religious Education; and Seton Hall University, South Orange, NJ, with an M.A. in Administration/Supervision, and received the Education Gold Medal Graduate Award. Sister then completed eleven courses on many subjects in six states and in Santiago, Chile. Sister Cecilia taught at: St. Luke’s E.S., HoHoKus, NJ; St. Anne’s E.S.,
Fair Lawn, NJ, St. Joseph School for the Blind E.S., Jersey City, NJ; St. Michael Novitiate H.S., Englewood Cliffs, NJ and was Superior and Principal of Our Lady of Peace E.S., Fords, NJ. She was appointed Director of Postulants and then Assistant Novice Mistress at St. Michael Novitiate, Englewood Cliffs, NJ. Sister served on
the Provincial Executive Board in St. Joseph Province, Englewood Cliffs, NJ and later was elected Province Leader there. Sister was an executive Councillor of the Congregation in Washington, DC. She was a Vocation
Recruiter at Mt. St. Joseph Juniorate in Cabra, County Down, Ireland. Sister did advocacy work in social services at Covenant House, NY, NY. For 14 years sister was a key Coordinator and Member of the International RENEW Team, headquartered in Plainfield, NJ. She was appointed: Administrator of St. Michael Villa, Englewood Cliffs, NJ; and Administrator of Stella Maris Retreat House, Elberon, NJ. Sister then retired to St. Michael Villa.
Sr. Cecilia was pre-deceased by her sisters, Ms. Mary King and Mrs. Kathleen Broderick. She is survived by her sister, Sr. Helen King of Ireland and her brothers Eamonn and Peter of Ireland.
A private wake service will be conducted with the Sisters residing at St. Michael’s on Wednesday, December 30 th at 4 p.m. A private Funeral Mass with the Sisters residing at St. Michael Villa will be held on Thursday,
December 31 st at 9:30 a.m.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Congregation of the Sisters of
St. Joseph of Peace, Shalom Center, 399 Hudson Terrace, Englewood
Cliffs, NJ 07632-2806.
Arrangements made by Angelo G. Mania Funeral Directors.
At the age of 16 she became an affiliate in the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace in Cabra, County Down, Ireland, on October 3,1947. Sister Cecilia became a Postulant on May 20, 1948 at St. Michael
Novitiate, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, then a Novice on September 8, 1948, and pronounced Final Vows there on August 22, 1953. Sister Cecilia received a certificate as a teacher of Braille at Catholic University, Washington, DC. She graduated from: Seton Hall University, South Orange, NJ with a B.S. in Education, Magna Cum Laude, and received the Bayley Seton Award; Providence College, Providence, R.I., with an M.A. in Religious Education; and Seton Hall University, South Orange, NJ, with an M.A. in Administration/Supervision, and received the Education Gold Medal Graduate Award. Sister then completed eleven courses on many subjects in six states and in Santiago, Chile. Sister Cecilia taught at: St. Luke’s E.S., HoHoKus, NJ; St. Anne’s E.S.,
Fair Lawn, NJ, St. Joseph School for the Blind E.S., Jersey City, NJ; St. Michael Novitiate H.S., Englewood Cliffs, NJ and was Superior and Principal of Our Lady of Peace E.S., Fords, NJ. She was appointed Director of Postulants and then Assistant Novice Mistress at St. Michael Novitiate, Englewood Cliffs, NJ. Sister served on
the Provincial Executive Board in St. Joseph Province, Englewood Cliffs, NJ and later was elected Province Leader there. Sister was an executive Councillor of the Congregation in Washington, DC. She was a Vocation
Recruiter at Mt. St. Joseph Juniorate in Cabra, County Down, Ireland. Sister did advocacy work in social services at Covenant House, NY, NY. For 14 years sister was a key Coordinator and Member of the International RENEW Team, headquartered in Plainfield, NJ. She was appointed: Administrator of St. Michael Villa, Englewood Cliffs, NJ; and Administrator of Stella Maris Retreat House, Elberon, NJ. Sister then retired to St. Michael Villa.
Sr. Cecilia was pre-deceased by her sisters, Ms. Mary King and Mrs. Kathleen Broderick. She is survived by her sister, Sr. Helen King of Ireland and her brothers Eamonn and Peter of Ireland.
A private wake service will be conducted with the Sisters residing at St. Michael’s on Wednesday, December 30 th at 4 p.m. A private Funeral Mass with the Sisters residing at St. Michael Villa will be held on Thursday,
December 31 st at 9:30 a.m.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Congregation of the Sisters of
St. Joseph of Peace, Shalom Center, 399 Hudson Terrace, Englewood
Cliffs, NJ 07632-2806.
Arrangements made by Angelo G. Mania Funeral Directors.