Sister Margaret Gerard von Achen, OP, of the Dominican Sisters, Sparkill, New York, died on November 28, 2017 in Siena Hall, Sparkill, NY.
Born in Bronx, NY on November 6, 1928 Irene Rose was the daughter of Gerard and Margaret Sullivan von Achen. She entered the Dominican Congregation of Our Lady of the Rosary in Sparkill on September 8, 1948 and received the name Sister Margaret Gerard. She professed her first vows in 1950 and her final vows in 1955.
Sister Margaret Gerard received her BS in Elementary Education, Fordham University, Bronx, NY 1956; MS in Business Education, College of St. Rose, Albany, NY 1964; MA in Counseling, Iona College, New Rochelle, NY 1972; and Professional Diploma, Religious Education and Spirituality, Fordham University, Bronx, NY 1985.
Sister Margaret Gerard served in the Archdiocese of New York and the Brooklyn Diocese as a teacher in St. Joseph School, Bronx, NY (1950-1952); St. Mary Magdalen, Springfield Gardens, NY (1952-1954); St. John Chrysostom, Bronx, NY (1954-1956); St. Pius X, Scarsdale, NY (1956-1958); Thorpe Secretarial School, New York, NY (1958-1961); Cathedral High School, New York, NY (1961-1966). In 1966, Sr. Margaret Gerard returned to Sparkill, NY where she served as Director of Postulants (1966-1969) then as Director of the Junior Professed (1969-1972). From 1972-1974 Sister Margaret served as Guidance Counselor at Rosary Academy, Sparkill, NY before becoming Administrator of Dominican Convent from 1974-1976. Sister then went to the Diocese of Rockville Centre where she served as Director of Religious Education and Parish Minister at Holy Family Parish, Hicksville, NY (1978-1989; 2006-2007) and then served on the Marriage Tribunal Staff from 1989-2000. In 2007, Sister Margaret Gerard retired to Sparkill.
Sister Margaret is predeceased by her parents Gerard and Margaret Sullivan von Achen and her brother Gerard. She is survived by her sisters Margaret (Patrick), and Carol (Kenneth) and her brothers Eugene, Richard, and Robert along with many nieces, nephews, grandnieces, and grandnephews.
Sister Margaret Gerard von Achen was a kind and compassionate person. She served her God and congregation faithfully for over sixty-nine years as a Dominican Sister of Sparkill. We thank God for her life and her goodness and we pray she be
brought swiftly into the fullness of joy in the presence of the God she loved and so faithfully served. We will miss her presence among us.