Mary Margaret Kelly SP
March 20, 1928 - February 24, 2019
Obituary
Sister Mary Margaret Kelly SP, age 90, a Sister of Providence for 64 years, died February 24, 2019, at St. Joseph Residence, Seattle, WA. Vigil Service: Thursday, March 7, 2019, at 6:30 PM, and Funeral Mass: Friday, March 8, 2019, at 11:00 AM, both at St. Joseph Residence, 4800 37th Avenue SW, Seattle, WA. Burial will follow at Calvary Cemetery, Seattle, WA, after Mass and reception. Bonney Watson Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mary Margaret Kelly was born March 20, 1928 to William Harold and Elizabeth (Motzer) Kelly, Olympia, Washington. She was the third of four children. Mary Margaret entered the Sisters of Providence in February 1954 at Mount St. Vincent, Seattle, Washington, and in August 1954, she became a novice. In February 1956 she professed first vows and received the name Sister Patrice Marie, and in February 1959 she professed final vows.
Mary Margaret graduated in 1947 from Olympia High School, Olympia, WA. In 1950, Mary Margaret earned a Nursing diploma from St. Peter School of Nursing in Olympia. She also earned her professional nurses’ certifications from the State of Washington in 1951 and from the State of Oregon in 1957.
Sister Margaret’s first ministry from 1956-60 was in nursing as a registered nurse supervisor in the surgical and medical units in Washington: Providence Seattle Medical Center; and in Oregon: Providence Portland Medical Center; and Sacred Heart Hospital, Medford. Then from 1960-62 Sister Margaret was the assistant director of the School of Nursing at Providence Portland.
For four months in 1962-63, Sister Margaret, studied in Cuernavaca, Mexico, to learn Spanish and the Latin American culture. She joined with five Sisters of Providence to begin missionary work in Argentina. She was there from March 1963 to May 1980. She ministered in Comodoro Rivadavia and Caleta Olivia as a surgical nurse, medical supervisor, pastoral care and taught catechetics to young adults.
In June 1980, Sister Margaret returned to Seattle and took part in the CREDO sabbatical program of theological renewal at Gonzaga University, Spokane, WA. She also completed a Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) program in 1991-92 from St. John’s Regional Medical Center, Oxnard, CA, and in September 1993, she received her Chaplain certification from the National Association of Catholic Chaplains (NACC).
From 1981-98 Sister Margaret’s ministry was in pastoral care in Oregon: St. Vincent Hospital, Portland; California: St. Joseph Medical Center, Burbank; and St. John’s Regional Medical Center, Oxnard; and Washington: St. Elizabeth Medical Center, Yakima. In 1999 she continued her ministry volunteering in pastoral care, parish ministry and services to women and children in Yakima.
In 2000, Sr. Margaret retired to St. Joseph Residence, Seattle, where she enjoyed the outdoors taking long walks and hiking, watching sports events, listening to classical music and spending cherished time with family, friends and her sisters in community.
Sr. Margaret is preceded in death by her parents, her sister Patricia (Kelly) Mayer, and brothers, James Kelly and Jerry Kelly. She is survived by her nephews.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Sisters of Providence Retirement Fund, 1801 Lind Avenue SW, #9016, Renton, WA 98057-9016. To view Sr. Margaret’s obituary with her picture and to sign her memory book, please visit the website for Bonney-Watson Funeral Home at www.bonneywatson.com