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Age 92

An elementary school teacher, Sister Mary Brian taught for over 45 years in the Dubuque, Iowa diocese.

Born on a farm in Elma, Iowa, Sister Mary Brian Kelly, was her father’s right hand because she did not have any brothers to assist in milking the cows. She entered the Cedar Rapids Regional Community of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas in 1956 and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in history from Mt. Mercy College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

An elementary school teacher for twenty-one years at St. Benedict’s School in Decorah, Iowa, she became a pastoral minister for nine years in the parish, visiting the homebound and nursing homes.

In 2005, Mary Brian moved to Sacred Heart Convent in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and volunteered to visit parishioners in nursing homes and area hospitals as well as at Hallmar Care Center at Mercy Medical Center. An avid sports fan, she always cheered for the home team and attended as many games as she could. She enjoyed playing cards and ping pong, always asking if anyone would join her in the game.