Sister Mary Denis Woods, G.N.S.H., 89, a native of Jackson Heights, died July 27 in St. Joseph’s Manor in Meadowbrook, Pa., in her 71st year as a Grey Nun of the Sacred Heart.

Born as Imelda Theresa Woods, she graduated from Blessed Sacrament School and Bishop McDonnell Memorial H.S., Brooklyn. She received a bachelor’s degree in history from D’Youville College, Buffalo, and a master’s in administration from Villanova.

After serving as principal of parish schools in Mahanoy City and Strafford, Pa., she was named principal at St. Leo’s, Corona, where she served from 1971 to 1992. She had previously taught at St. Leo’s in the 1950s.

Additionally, she taught at Our Lady of Fatima, Jackson Heights,1992-97; in 1998 she became librarian at Blessed Sacrament School.

In 2003 she moved to the Motherhouse in Yardley, Pa., where her retirement years were filled with prayer ministry, as well as the ministry of hospitality.

She is survived by her sister, Cornelia (Connie) Fonseca; brothers, Michael and Edward Woods. Her sisters, Sister Mary Terence (Patricia), G.N.S.H., and Sister Michael Marie (Joan), G.N.S.H., predeceased her.