SCRANTON—Sister M. St. Mel Wright, IHM, of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary died on Thursday, May 20, 2021, at Our Lady of Peace Residence in Scranton.
She was born on June 26, 1929, in Baltimore, Md.; and given the name Barbara Catherine. She was the daughter of the late Lealon Burgess and Catherine Halloran Querney Wright. She entered the IHM Congregation on September 8, 1949, and made her temporary profession of vows on May 8, 1952, and her final profession of vows on August 2, 1955.
Sister St. Mel served as a teacher in the following schools: St. Ephrem Elementary School in Brooklyn, N.Y., from 1952 to 1954; St. Peter Catechetical Center in Wellsboro, Penn., from 1954 to 1955; St. Patrick Catechetical Center in Milford, PA, from 1955 to 1957; St. Ambrose Elementary School in Bridgeport, Conn., from 1957 to 1965; St. Pius X Elementary School in Coeur d’Alene, Ind., from 1965 to 1971; Archbishop Neale Elementary School in La Plata, Md., from 1971 to 1978; and St. John the Evangelist Elementary School in Silver Spring, Md., from 1978 to 1979.
Sister also served as director of candidates for the IHM Congregation from 1979 to 1982; sector coordinator for the IHM Congregation, from 1982 to 1990; core group member at IHM Spiritual Renewal Center in Cresco, Penn., from 1990 to 1994; coordinator of the Marian Convent in Scranton, Penn., from 1994 to 2005; assistant administrator of the IHM Center in Scranton, Penn., from 2005 to 2010; and pastoral care volunteer at Our Lady of Peace Residence in Scranton, Penn., from 2010 to 2013.
From 2013 until the time of her death, Sister St. Mel was a prayer minister at Our Lady of Peace Residence in Scranton.
She received a bachelor’s degree in elementary education/English, and a master’s degree in special education/elementary education, both from Marywood College.
She is preceded in death by four brothers, Clayton, Lealon, Jack and James; and a sister, Dorothy Stumpf.
She is survived by a sister, Peggy Wright of Bowling Green, Ky.; nieces and nephews. She is also survived by the members of the IHM Congregation.
Interment will be at St. Catherine’s Cemetery in Moscow, Penn. Due to restrictions related to the coronavirus, the funeral mass and graveside service are private.
Memorial contributions may be made to support the retired IHM Sisters c/o the IHM Sisters Retirement Fund, IHM Center, 2300 Adams Avenue, Scranton, PA 18509.
