Sister Daniel Downey

Sister Mary Daniel (Barbara Ellen) Downey, 103, was born June 13, 1908, in Marienthal, Kansas, and entered eternal life December 7, 2011 in Marian Hall where she has resided at Mt. St. Mary Convent in Wichita, KS for the last 18 years. She was the sixth of 8 children born to William and Mary Burghardth Downey.

Her education began in Windthorst, Kansas, and continued at St. Mary of the Plains Academy where she graduated in 1927. In August of 1927 she entered the Congregation of St. Joseph and was given the name of Sr. Mary Daniel, the name she retained for the remainder of her life. She received a Normal Training Teachers Certificate after graduating from high school in May, 1927, then earned a B.A. degree from Marymount College, Salina, Kansas and an M.S. degree in Education from Creighton University.

She became a lifelong educator with teaching assignments in elementary schools in Wichita, Hoisington, Cherryvale, Pittsburg, Iola, Independence, and Odin in Kansas and Sunnyvale, California. She was a high school teacher and school librarian in Hutchinson, Chanute, and Wichita. In 1977 she became librarian for the School of Nursing at St. Joseph Hospital. After eleven years in the position she fully retired to reside in Marian Hall where she spent her final years.

In addition to members of her religious community, Sister Mary Daniel is survived by numerous nieces and nephews. The wake service is 7 p.m. Friday, December 9; Mass of Christian burial, 10:30 a.m., Saturday, December 10, both at the Wichita Center of the Congregation of St. Joseph, 3700 E. Lincoln, Wichita.

Memorial contributions may be made to Sisters of St. Joseph Dear Neighbor Ministries, Inc., 3700 E. Lincoln, Wichita, KS 6718.

DeVorss Flanagan-Hunt Mortuary.