Sister Mary Thurlough

Sister Mary Thurlough, age 92, died at Villa St. Michael in Emmitsburg, Maryland on January 16, 2025. She was born August 15, 1932, in Middletown, Connecticut to Mary (O’Connor) and Carroll Wells Thurlough. Before entering the Community, Sister Mary was a member of St. Joseph Church in Chester, Connecticut. She attended Deep River High School in Connecticut and graduated in 1951 from Mary A. Burnham School in Northampton, Massachusetts. She then earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in 1955 from Russell Sage College in Troy, New York. After traveling throughout the United States, Canada, and Europe, Sister Mary entered the Daughters of Charity on August 11, 1961. In 1971, she obtained a Master of Social Work from Yeshiva University in New York City. 

 Following initial formation, Sister Mary worked with children at St. Vincent’s Home in Saginaw, Michigan (1962-1963), and then went to St. Martin School in Baltimore, Maryland as a teacher (1963-1967). She then was missioned to Kennedy Child Study Center in New York City (1967-1971). After earning her master’s in social work, Sister Mary served as a social worker in several places: St. Joseph Gonzaga Home in Philadelphia (1971-1975); St. John’s Parish in Brooklyn as Director of the Outreach Center (1975-1977); St. Catherine’s Center for Children in Albany, New York (1977-1980); Astor Home for Children in Rhinebeck, New York (1980-1986); and the Archdiocese of New York in New York City as Director of the Office for Disabled Persons (1986-1995). While serving in the Archdiocese of New York, Sister Mary was sent with the Archdiocesan Education Office to Lithuania for two months, giving workshops for teachers who worked with people with disabilities. After this, Sister Mary continued to serve as a social worker in various locations: two parishes in the Albany, New York Diocese (1995-1998); North Queens Catholic Community Center in New York City (1998-2002); Assistant Director of Catholic Charities for the Diocese of Gallup, New Mexico (2002-2012); Catholic Social Services in Winston-Salem, North Carolina and St. Paul the Apostle Church/Urban Ministries in Greensboro, North Carolina (2012-2015); and the Rebuild Center and the Daughters of Charity Services of New Orleans (2015-2018). Sister Mary was missioned to Villa St. Michael in 2018 and served in the Ministry of Prayer, a ministry in which she served until her death. 

 Sister Mary was preceded in death by her parents. She is survived by friends and her Sisters in Community. 

 A Wake Service will be held in the Villa Chapel in Emmitsburg on Monday, January 20 at 4:00 pm. The Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Tuesday, January 21 at 1:00 pm in the Villa Chapel. Burial will follow in the Sacred Heart Cemetery on the grounds. 

 In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in Sister Mary’s name to the Daughters of Charity, 4330 Olive Street, Saint Louis, Missouri 63108.