Obituary: Sister Frances Mary Rundell, IHM

| 06/3/2025

By: The Good Newsroom

Sister Frances Mary served as a teacher at Holy Trinity Elementary School in Poughkeepsie from 1956 to 1958

Sister Mary Frances Rundell, IHM, entered eternal life on May 28, 2025. Sister Frances Mary served as a teacher at Holy Trinity Elementary School in Poughkeepsie from 1956 to 1958.
Sister Mary Frances Rundell, IHM, entered eternal life on May 28, 2025. Sister Frances Mary served as a teacher at Holy Trinity Elementary School in Poughkeepsie from 1956 to 1958. Photo courtesy of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

Sister Frances Mary Rundell, IHM, of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary died Wednesday, May 28, 2025, at Our Lady of Peace Residence in Scranton, Pennsylvania.

Born Sept. 9, 1929, in Johnson City, New York, and given the name Leatrice Margaret, she was the daughter of the late Alton Ray Rundell and Frances Scales Rundell. She entered the IHM Congregation on Sept. 8, 1953, made temporary profession of her vows on Aug. 4, 1956, and final profession of her vows on Aug. 4, 1959. Sister Frances Mary received a Bachelor of Science degree in elementary education/music, and a Master of Science degree in elementary education/music, both from Marywood College.

Sister Frances Mary served as a teacher in the following schools: Holy Trinity Elementary School in Poughkeepsie, from 1956 to 1958; St. Mary of Mount Carmel Elementary School in Dunmore, Pennsylvania, from 1958 to 1963; St. Rose Elementary School in Carbondale, Pennsylvania, from 1963 to 1966; St. Lawrence Elementary School in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania, from 1966 to 1968; St. Peter of Alcantara Elementary School in Port Washington, New York, from 1968 to 1974; Epiphany Elementary School in Sayre, Pennsylvania, from 1974 to 1976; St. John the Evangelist Elementary School in Binghamton, New York, from 1976 to 1981; Holy Rosary Elementary School in Scranton, Pennsylvania, from 1981 to 1985; St. Patrick Elementary School in Scranton, Pennsylvania, from 1982 to 1985; and St. Matthew Elementary School in Wilmington, Delaware, from 1985 to 1990.

Sister also served as pastoral associate for liturgy and music at Sacred Heart Church in La Plata, Maryland, from 1990 to 1991; coordinator of liturgy and music at St. James and St. Michael parishes and La Salle Academy, all in Jessup, Pennsylvania, from 1991 to 1997; director of music and liturgy at St. Mary of Mount Carmel Parish in Dunmore, Pennsylvania, from 1997 to 2002; director of music and liturgy at Tri-Church Catholic Parish in Jessup, Pennsylvania, from 1997 to 2009; chaplain at Clarks Summit State Hospital in Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania, from 2004 to 2014; director of liturgy and music at Saints Peter and Paul Parish in Towanda, Pennsylvania, from 2010 to 2011; and music ministry volunteer at the IHM Center in Scranton, Pennsylvania, from 2014 to 2021.

From 2021 until the time of her death, Sister Frances Mary was a prayer minister at Our Lady of Peace Residence in Scranton.

She was preceded in death by three brothers, James, Robert, and Edward McHugh, and a sister, Betty Rae Treible. Sister Frances Mary is survived by a niece and her husband, Gail and Charles Johnson of Clearwater, Florida; and many nieces and nephews living from coast to coast. The members of the IHM Congregation also survive her.

The funeral will be Thursday, June 5, at 11 a.m., with a Mass of Christian Burial at Our Lady of Peace Residence, 1510 University Ave. in Dunmore, Pennsylvania. Friends may call at Our Lady of Peace Residence between 9 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. A prayer service will be held at 10:30 a.m. Interment will follow Mass on Thursday at St. Catherine’s Cemetery in Moscow, Pennsylvania.

Memorial contributions may be made to support the retired Sisters of IHM c/o the Sisters of IHM Retirement Fund, IHM Center, 2300 Adams Ave., Scranton, Pennsylvania 18509.

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