Sister Muriel Smithwick, C.S.J., a Sister of St. Joseph, Brentwood, L.I., for 72 years, died in Maria Regina Residence, Brentwood, Jan. 14.

She entered the congregation in 1944 from Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Sunset Park. She attended Manhattan College; and earned master’s degrees in education from Middlebury College, Middlebury, Vt., and in administration and supervision from Fordham University.

Formerly Sister St. Florence, her ministries included Queen of All Saints, Fort Greene, 1946-48; Sacred Heart Seminary, Hempstead, L.I., 1948-50; St. Angela Hall Academy, Clinton Hill, 1950-53; Visitation B.V.M., Red Hook, 1953-55; St. Francis de Sales, Belle Harbor, 1955-57; Blessed Sacrament, Cypress Hills, 1957-59; St. Brendan School, Midwood, 1959-62; and Bishop McDonnell H.S., Flushing, from 1962 to 1972.

She served as principal at St. Brendan H.S., Midwood, 1972-78; St. Joseph’s, Spring Valley, N.Y., 1979-82; St. Ursula, Mount Vernon, N.Y., 1982-85; St. Mary’s, Delano, Calif., 1985-86; St. Edmund H.S., Sheepshead Bay, 1986-95; St. Anthony H.S., Lakeland, Fla., 1995-96; and Most Holy Trinity, Hackensack, N.J., 1996-97.

She worked in administrative services for the Diocese of Brooklyn, 1978-79; served as assistant superintendent of the Archdiocese of Newark, Newark, N.J., 1997-99; and worked in the archdiocesan pastoral center, Newark, N.J., 1999-2003. She retired at a later date.

A Mass of Christian Burial took place in Sacred Heart Chapel, Brentwood, L.I., Jan. 20. Interment was in Calvary Cemetery.