Maryknoll Sisters

Maryknoll, NY: Sister Mary Patricia Norton a nurse, teacher, and social worker died on December 1^st, 2022 at the Maryknoll Sisters Center, Maryknoll, NY.  She was 94 years old and had been a Maryknoll Sister for 76 years.

Patricia was born in Milwaukee, WI on January 4^th, 1928 to Harry Norton and Marion (Ducey) Norton. She had three brothers: Robert, Michael, and Terence. Her brother Robert has pre-deceased her.

In 1945, Patricia graduated from Holy Angels Academy in Milwaukee, WI. She then studied at Marquette University from 1945 – 1946 before entering the Maryknoll Sisters Novitiate in Maryknoll, NY on October 5^th, 1946.

Patricia continued her studies after entering the Novitiate, she attended Maryknoll Teachers College in 1947 and from 1948-1952 studied at the College of Mount St. Vincent in Riverdale, NY where she earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing.

On April 6^th, 1949 she made her First Profession of Vows at the Maryknoll Sisters Center, Maryknoll, NY and her Final Profession of Vows on April 6^th, 1952 also at the Sisters’ Center.

In 1952, Sister Patricia received her first overseas mission assignment to Ceylon (Sri Lanka) where she worked as a Nursing Supervisor in a government hospital in Kandy and later as a head nurse in Kundasale.  From 1962 – 1963, she returned to Maryknoll, NY to work at Bethany House, the Sisters’ nursing home.

In 1964, after earning her Master’s Degree in Surgical Nursing at Catholic University in Washington, D.C. she was assigned to Pusan, Korea where she served as Dean at the Maryknoll Junior College of Nursing. From 1966-1977, Sister Patricia led a nursing instruction team and was then Director and Chairperson of the Board of Public Health Cooperative in Hupo from 1978-1981.

In 1982, she returned to Maryknoll, NY once again this time to serve as Director of Nursing Services at the Sisters’ Nursing Home from 1982-1984.  Returning to Seoul, Korea in 1985, her ministry changed to social services and pastoral care with young women factory workers until 1995.

In 1996, Sister Patricia relocated to Jilin Province in China where she taught English as a second language until 2003 when she returned again to Seoul, Korea and re-entered the medical ministry as a Physical Therapist. There, she was one of two Maryknoll Sisters who founded the Miriam Center for Migrant Workers, which was recognized as one of the best practices of social integration in action by the U.N.’s Non-Governmental Committee on Social Development in 2010.

In 2006, Sister Patricia was assigned to the Maryknoll Sisters retirement house in Monrovia, CA where she was involved in many volunteer projects and served as house clinic nurse.  In 2018, she retired at the Maryknoll Sisters Center, Maryknoll, NY.

Funeral Services:

Sister Patricia generously donated her body to science.

Maryknoll, NY: Sister Maria Norma Valdemoro, teacher and pastoral care worker died on November 28th, 2022 at the Maryknoll Sisters Center, Maryknoll, NY. She was 87 years old and had been a Maryknoll Sister for 56 years.

Norma was born in Baleno, Masbate Province in the Philippines, to Filomeno Valdemoro and Amada (Laurio) Valdemoro.   She had four brothers: Huberto, Jose, Herminio and Rev. Filomino and four sisters: Teresita, Linda, Nimfa and Purita. Her brothers Hermino and Rev. Filomino have pre-deceased her.

In 1953 Norma graduated from Aroroy High School in Aroroy, Philippines. She then studied at Bicol Teachers College in Legaspi City, Philippines from 1953 – 1957 and graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Education.  After graduation she worked as a teacher from 1959 – 1965 with the Bureau of Public Schools in Aroroyo and then at Maryknoll High School from 1965 – 1966.

On June 26, 1966 she entered the Maryknoll Sisters Novitiate in Quezon City, Philippines. She pronounced her First Profession of Vows on June 22^nd, 1969 in Quezon City before moving to the Maryknoll Sisters Center, New York. Then she pronounced her Final Profession of Vows on September 2^nd, 1972 in Chile.  In 1970, Sister Norma received her Master’s Degree in Education from Abad Santos Educational Institute in Manila, Philippines and later that year she was assigned to Chile, South America. After language study in Cochabamba, Bolivia she relocated to Talcahuano, Chile and taught in the parish elementary school from 1971-1972.  During this time, Sister Norma also conducted retreats for youth, taught religious education in the grade school and served as an advisor to youth leaders in the Parish Confirmation program from 1973-1979.

In 1980, she returned to the Philippines for one year to do mission education and then was assigned to the Maryknoll Sisters Center, Maryknoll, NY in 1981 to work in the Congregation’s Treasury Department until 1984.  She then spent 10 months at the Maryknoll Sisters Cloister before returning to Santiago, Chile in 1984.  After several months helping with administration in the Sisters’ Regional Center House and taking a course in family catechetics, Sister Norma moved to the Pudahuel section of Santiago in 1985 where she did pastoral work with basic Christian communities and led a support group for women until 1993. In 1994, she moved to a settlement in northern Santiago where she worked among the urban poor doing pastoral ministry with young married couples and training lay people for leadership roles in their local parish.

In 2010, Sister Norma returned to the Maryknoll Sisters Center, Maryknoll, NY to retire, where she remained until her death.

Funeral Services:

A Vespers Service will be held for Sister Norma on Monday, December 5^th_, 2022 at 4:15 P.M. in the Chapel of the Annunciation at the Maryknoll Sisters Center, Maryknoll, NY.

A Mass of the Resurrection will be held on Tuesday, December 6^th, 2022 also in the Chapel of the Annunciation.