Maryknoll, NY: Sister Patricia Alice Noble, M.M. died on April 4th, 2020 at the Maryknoll Sisters Center in Maryknoll, NY. She was 95 years old and had been a Maryknoll Sister for 72 years.
Patricia was born in Erie, Pennsylvania on May 6th, 1924 to Minnie Mae (Bartels) Noble and Edward Franklin Noble. She had one brother, Edward who has predeceased her.
Patricia attended Millcreek High School in Erie, PA from 1938-1942. Following her high school graduation, she attended college at the University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA from 1942 – 1944. She then transferred to Villa Maria College, Erie, PA where she earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English in 1945.
On September 6th, 1947, Patricia entered the Maryknoll Sisters Novitiate at the Maryknoll Sisters Center, Maryknoll, NY and made her First Vows on March 7th, 1950 also at the Maryknoll Sisters Center. After making her First Vows, she received her first mission assignment to Honolulu, HI. There, she taught 7th grade at St. Anthony School until 1954. While on mission in Honolulu, she made her Final Vows on March 7th, 1953 and was then assigned to Maryknoll High School in Punahou, HI to teach English and History until 1956.
In 1956, Sister Patricia relocated to the Philippines where she taught English at Maryknoll College in Quezon City for four years. In 1960, she returned to the United States to further her education and study at St. Louis University, St. Louis, MO. There, she earned a Master’s Degree in English and Philosophy in 1962. She returned to the Philippines after earning her Degree to teach English and History in various different schools until 1964.
Sister Patricia then returned to the Maryknoll Sisters Center, Maryknoll NY to teach English at Mary Rogers College (located on the property of the Sisters Center until 1969. For the next ten years, she worked in several different departments at the Maryknoll Sisters Center: Congregational Services, Housekeeping and Data Processing. In 1980, she was appointed as the Maryknoll Sisters Library Administrator; during this time, she also took classes at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, NY. In 1982, she earned a Master of Science Degree in Library and Information Science.
In 1988, Sister Patricia retired to the Maryknoll Sisters residence in Monrovia, CA, but still remained an active volunteer. From 1989-2003, she assisted in the setup of the Library of the Peace and Justice Center of Southern California in Los Angeles. From 2001-2006, she worked as a volunteer at the Los Angeles Arboretum: one year as an assistant in the Arboretum Library and six years as assistant in the herb garden. From 1988 – 2006, Sister Patricia was in charge of the two libraries at the Maryknoll Sisters residence in Monrovia
In 2006, Sister Patricia returned to the Maryknoll Sisters Center, Maryknoll, NY to work in the Sisters Photo Library.
Funeral Services: Due to the Coronavirus pandemic, funeral services will be scheduled for a date in the future when group gatherings are deemed safe. Sister Patricia’s family and our community remember her soul in prayer during this difficult time.