Sister Jeanne Miceli, OP, of the Dominican Sisters of Sparkill, New York, died on October 28, 2011 at New York Columbia Presbyterian Hospital. Born in Port Chester, NY on October 16, 1945, Jeanne Ellen was the daughter of Frank and Marianne DeFonce Miceli. She entered the Dominican Congregation of Our Lady of the Rosary in Sparkill on August 30, 1966, and became known as Sister Marianne Francis. She professed her first vows in 1968 and her final vows in 1976.
Sister Jeanne earned a B.A. in English from St. Thomas Aquinas College, NY; an MA in Reading from Manhattan College, NY and School Administration certification from Fordham University. During her professional life, Sister Jeanne ministered in the Archdiocese of New York and Dioceses of Rockville Center and Newark both at the elementary and high school levels. She was a teacher St. Columba, Chester, NY (1970-74); Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, Middletown, NY (1974-81) Holy Family, Hicksville, NY (1981-86); Aquinas HS, Bronx, NY (2002-2008) and served as principal at St. Stephen/St. Edward, Warwick, NY (1986-93) and St. Paul Interparochial, Ramsey, NJ (1997-2002). From 1993-97 Sr. Jeanne was Campus Minister at Albertus Magnus HS, Bardonia, NY and from 2008-2010 she was Managerial Assistant at Dowling Gardens, Sparkill, NY. In 2010 Sr. Jeanne was a teacher at St. Elizabeth Interparochial, Wyckoff, NJ until she became ill in January 2011.
She continued to offer local community service until her untimely death on Friday. We will remember Sr. Jeanne for her many gifts and talents. She enjoyed being with her family and friends and her big heart welcomed many. She loved her community and served in many capacities. Her sudden death was a surprise to all. Sr. Jeanne taught us how to live and enjoy life and in the end she taught us how to die with dignity and grace. We thank her for her forty-five years as a Dominican Sister of Sparkill and we ask the good Lord to give her a place in the kingdom of the saints. May she now rest in the peace of the Lord.