Sister Mary Clare Kolczynski, O.P., a member of the Sisters of St. Dominic, Amityville, L.I. for 73 years, died April 23. She was 92.
Born as Mary Anne in Philadelphia, her early life was spent in Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and Rye, N.Y., before the family moved to Long Island.
After high school, she worked in real estate, for the Boy Scouts of America and Coca Cola.
She entered the congregation in 1943 from Our Lady of Lourdes parish, Malverne, L.I. She took the religious name Sister Mary Clare.
She taught first-grade classes at Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Lindenhurst, L.I., 1944-55; St. Ignatius Martyr, Long Beach, L.I., 1955-64; St. Kilian, Farmingdale, L.I., 1964-65; St. Fidelis, College Point, 1965-97.
For the next three years, she was a substitute teacher at St. Fidelis.
In 2000 she retired and, when St. Fidelis Convent closed, she joined the community at Harbor of Grace Convent. During this time, she cared for her infirm sister. Failing health necessitated her move to Carlin Hall Infirmary in 2015.
Burial in the Sisters’ cemetery in Amityville.
She was living in the same unit as Aunt Sissy since last year. Made my Holy Communion in her class.
Rest in Peace Sister Mary Clare.
greatest teacher and person ever actually cared about her students not like a lot of teachers today that only want medical and a paycheck and label kids that struggle to send them off to be someone else’s problem she took the time to help she understood you needed to defend yourself there was no bullying in her class she taught you yo sick up for yourself its a sad day we lost the last of a dying breed she will truly be missed
she was 1 of the 2 greatest teachers i ever had wonderful person too
Rest in peace Sr. Mary Clare!! You will be missed!!!
MY BROTHER BILLY LOVED HER YEARS AFTERWARD, SHE WOULD SEE HIM ON THE BLVD. AND WOULD STOP HIM AND SHE JUST SAY “HELLO WILLIAM” AND HE SAID HELLO SR. MARY CLARE SHE WOULD HUG HIM AND THEY WOULD CHAT AND BE ON THEIR WAY. SHE GAVE HIM A PRAYER HE PUT IT IN HIS SAFE AND STILL HAS IT. IT WOULD PROBABLY FALL APART. WHENEVER WE HAVE HEALTH ISSUES THE PRAYER IS ALWAYS IN MY BROTHERS HAND. SPECIAL WOMAN AND MENTOR TO BILLY🙏🌺💐🌟❤️🔝🙏