Born in Queens, she attended St. Sebastian School in Woodside, and William Cullen Bryant H.S., before entering the congregation in 1950 from St. Sebastian parish. She earned her bachelor’s degree in education at St. John’s University, Jamaica, and a master’s in administration and supervision from Fordham University.
Formerly known as Sister Ambrosia, she taught first grade at Our Lady of Lourdes, Bushwick, 1952-56, and St. Anthony of Padua, Greenpoint, 1956-61.
She then taught at St. Joseph, Pacific St., Prospect Heights, 1961-62; St. James Pro-Cathedral, Downtown Brooklyn, 1962-64; St. Thomas Aquinas, Park Slope, 1964-66; and Nativity of Our Blessed Lord, Bedford-Stuyvesant, 1966-70.
She spent more than 40 years at St. Francis Xavier, Park Slope, arriving as a first-grade teacher in 1970, and being named principal by 1974. At the time, the school was struggling, but she turned things around, boosting enrollment and finances. She equipped the school with computers, started a kindergarten, established an advisory board and partnered with St. Francis College, Brooklyn Heights.
In 2011, she retired, and was awarded the St. Clare Medal by St. Francis College.
She volunteered at New York Methodist Hospital, Park Slope, during her retirement.
A Mass of Christian Burial was held at St. Francis Xavier, Park Slope. Burial followed in Calvary Cemetery, Brentwood.
I knew her as Sr Ambrosia she was my first grade teacher at St. Thomas Aquinas in Park Slope in 1964. I will remember her fondly.
Sister Kathleen was my 1st grade teacher in 1971. I attended SFX from 71/79, I remember when she took over as principal. She was tough, fair and didn’t take any crap!