(Sister Mary Francis Ann)
A Sister of Holy Cross, Sister Bea, daughter of Frank Keegan and Ann Anderson, died on May 31st, 2012 at the Ottawa Civic Hospital at the age of 85, having celebrated 68 years in religious life.
In addition to her Holy Cross family, Sr. Bea is mourned by her sister Ellen Laverty (Frank), her brother Ernest Keegan (Fran), nieces and nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews, and by the Kinsella and Shenahan families.
Sister Bea was predeceased by her parents and by her siblings Edward (Marnie) and Denis (Margaret). Sister Bea’s special gift was the education of young children. Teaching the little ones endeared her to many who to this very day remember with great fondness their Grade one teacher!
As teacher and as pastoral worker she ministered in Smithers and Lake Cowichan, B.C.; Renfrew, Ottawa, Alexandria, and St. Catharine’s, ON; and in Montreal, P.Q., her birthplace! She was well-loved by those who knew her, especially by her aboriginal friends on Canada’s west coast.
Visitation was held at the Kelly Funeral Home, 2313 Carling Avenue, Ottawa from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. on Sunday, June 3. The Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on Monday, June 4, at 10 a.m. at St. Basil’s Church, 899 Maitland Avenue, Ottawa. Burial will be at the Sisters of Holy Cross cemetery in Montreal after a prayer service at St. Joseph Pavilion, St. Laurent. Donation in her memory to the Sisters of Holy Cross Missions would be appreciated.