Sister Mary Neil Ventricelli passed away on March 11 at the age of 98.
She served as a Sister of Saint Dominic for nearly 80 years.
Daniel and Jean (Schiraldi) Ventricelli, both immigrants from Italy, welcomed their daughter, Marie, on Dec. 11, 1927, into their Brooklyn home.
After graduating from Bishop McDonnell Memorial High School, Marie was accepted as a postulant on Sept. 8, 1946, by the Sisters of St. Dominic of Amityville.
Along with members of her set, “the Forget-Me-Nots,” she received the Dominican habit and her religious name, Sister Mary Neil, on Aug. 4, 1947.
Sister Mary Neil pronounced her first vows on Aug. 7, 1948, and her final vows on Aug. 7, 1951.
Sister Mary received her Bachelor of Arts as well as her Master of Arts degrees from St. John’s University.
Sister Mary was a lifelong educator, first at the elementary level for 10 years and then on the secondary level as a Spanish teacher for 46 years.
Her first six years were spent at Fourteen Holy Martyrs School (Brooklyn), followed by four years at St. Aloysius School (Brooklyn).
In 1958, Sister began her ministry in secondary education, teaching Spanish at Dominican Commercial High School (Jamaica), St. Agnes Academic School (College Point), St. Nicholas High School (Brooklyn), and ended her educational career at St. Francis Preparatory School (Fresh Meadows).
After retiring, Sister Mary took full-time care of her mother, living with her at her home in Howard Beach.
Upon the death of her mother, she returned to Incarnation Convent (Queens Village) for an additional seven years until it closed.
She, along with the remaining sisters, moved to the Queen of the Rosary Motherhouse in Amityville, New York.
Funeral plans were private with burial at the Rosary Motherhouse in Amityville.
Bettyanne McDonough, a Dame Commander with Star of the Holy Sepulchre, died on March 31, 2026, at the age of 88. Her Catholic faith, Irish heritage, Brooklyn roots, and devotion to family defined her, along with her passion for world travel.
Beloved daughter of Rose and Jack McDonough, Bettyanne graduated from St. Saviour High School and St. Joseph’s College, later earning a Master’s degree from St. John’s University.
Bettyanne was a social studies teacher at Franklin K. Lane High School, providing stability during the turbulent late 1960s. She later served as Assistant Principal at Sheepshead Bay High and Principal of Westinghouse Vocational. Post retirement, she continued her service as Special Education Director for the Diocese of Brooklyn.
Bettyanne was a trailblazer in leadership and civic life. She was among the first women presidents of the Cathedral Club of Brooklyn, a founding member of the Irish American Teachers, and Emerald Society officer. As chair of the Department of Education’s Irish Heritage Committee, she played a key role in the St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Bettyanne was honored as Irish Woman of the Year in 2001 and named St. Joseph’s College Outstanding Alumna in 2005.
She is deeply missed by her family, including Bill Simonitsch, Chantale, Natalie, Nicholas, Lawrence, Maryanne, and Tricia Ward.
A viewing was held on April 13 from 8:30–10 a.m. at Fox Funeral Home (Forest Hills), followed by Mass at 10:30 a.m. at Our Lady Queen of Martyrs and burial at 12:30 at Holy Cross Cemetery, Brooklyn (St. Brigid section).