Age 92
Trained as a nurse, psychologist, and a canon lawyer, Sister Jeanne-Margaret was a leader within the community and Church.
Born in New York City, Jeanne-Margaret entered the Sisters of Mercy at the age of 18 in Belmont, North Carolina. She felt called when she read about the Sisters of Mercy and the rich missionary opportunities in North Carolina. Sister Jeanne-Marie received an associate’s degree in nursing and an honorary doctorate from Sacred Heart College in Belmont, North Carolina. She earned a bachelor’s and master’s degrees in nursing, a doctorate degree in psychology and a postgraduate academic degree in canon law, all from Catholic University in Washington, D.C.
She ministered early in her career at Mercy Hospital in Belmont, North Carolina, first as a nurse and then as the director of nursing. For a total of 11 years, she served in leadership for the former North Carolina regional community. Eight of those years she was their president. Jeanne-Marie also was the associate vice-president of academic affairs at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, for five years.
Well-known as a canon lawyer in the Archdiocese of Miami, Florida, and The Catholic Center of Charlotte, North Carolina, she also served as a tribunal judge and canonical consultant for the Diocese of Charlotte and the Archdiocese of Miami. Sister Jeanne-Marie ministered as the director of mission effectiveness for the former South Central Community for three years before becoming a psychologist in the tribunal office of the Diocese of Charlotte for 14 years.
A compelling storyteller and an advocate for higher education, Sister Jeanne-Marie also enjoyed helping people understand the teachings and laws of the Catholic Church.