Sister Marie McNamee, OP, of Dominican Convent, Sparkill, New York, died on December 16, 2013 in Nyack Hospital. Born in the New York City on April 27, 1928, Marie was the daughter of Thomas and Catherine McCormack McNamee. She entered the Dominican Congregation of Our Lady of the Rosary in Sparkill on September 8, 1951 and became known as Sister Catherine Michael, professing her first vows in 1953 and her final vows in 1958.
Sister Marie earned a BS in Education from Fordham University in 1958; MA in Spanish Literature from St. John University in 1968; PhD in Spanish Literature from the University of Madrid, Spain in 1971. Sr. Marie was recipient of the Bilingual Education Fellowship Award at Columbia University in 1981.
Sister Marie was teacher, professor and administrator who served in the Archdiocese of New York and the Dioceses of Brooklyn, Albany, Easton, MD and Camden, NJ. She taught at St. Rita, Bronx, NY (1953-58); St. Mary Magdalen, Springfield Gardens, NY (1958-59); Sts. Peter & Paul HS, Easton, MD (1959-67) Cathedral HS, New York, NY (1967-69); St. Thomas Aquinas College, Sparkill, NY professor (1971-74) Academic Dean (1974-83); St. Anne Parish, Ruskin, FL (1983-84); St. Mary Academy, Glens Falls, NY (1983-84); College of St. Elizabeth, Convent Station, NJ (1985-89); Caldwell College, Caldwell, NJ (1989-2012). In 2012, Sister Marie retired and took up residency in Siena Hall at Dominican Convent.
Sister Marie is predeceased by her parents and two sisters, Sr. Mercedes McNamee, OP and Sr. Norbert McNamee, OP., both Dominican Sisters of Sparkill. She is survived by her cousin Noreen Fisher of Chicago, IL and many cousins in Ireland. We will remember Sister Marie for her dedication as a teacher, professor and administrator for over sixty years, for her pursuit of knowledge and for her willingness to explore new vistas in the field of education. She was committed to her life as a Dominican sister and remained faithful to her call for sixty-two years. We commend her to the God whom she loved, and we ask the good Lord to give her peace among the company of the saints in heaven.