Sister Margaret Hanratty, OP, of the Dominican Sisters, Sparkill, New York, died on August 18, 2015 in Siena Hall, Sparkill, NY.
Born in the Bronx, NY on November 18, 1937, Margaret Mary was the daughter of James and Marie Bradley Hanratty. She entered the Dominican Congregation of Our Lady of the Rosary in Sparkill on September 8, 1955 and received the name Sister Miriam James. She professed her first vows in 1957 and her final vows in 1962.
Sister Margaret earned a BS in Education from St. Thomas Aquinas College,1960 and an MS in Education from Manhattan College, 1974.
Sister Margaret taught at Sacred Heart, Suffern, NY (1957-60), St. Paul’s, Norwich, NY (1960-66), St. Brendan, Bronx, NY (1966-67), Immaculate Heart of Mary, Scarsdale, NY (1967-70), and St. John Chrysostom, Bronx, NY (1970-88). From 1988-89 she was the Assistant Director at St. Rita’s Asian Center. Then, she served as Pastoral Minister and Chaplain at St. Barnabas Hospital from 1990-2010. She continued to volunteer at St. Barnabas Nursing Home from 2010-2013 when she retired.
Sister Margaret is predeceased by her parents James and Marie Bradley Hanratty.
She is survived by her sister Kathleen Johnson and brothers Arthur Hanratty, John Hanratty, and Lawrence Hanratty. She will be missed by her numerous nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews.
Sister Margaret was faithful to the God she loved and to the life she chose as a Dominican Sister. We are grateful for her sixty years in the congregation, and we thank God for her goodness and kindness. May the Lord let his light shine upon her and give her peace.