1925 – 2003

WATERVILLE – Sister Gladys Morrell, CSJ, 78, died peacefully on Monday, Oct. 13, at Thayer Unit, MaineGeneral Medical Center. She will be remembered as a prayer-filled woman, a woman with a great devotion to Mary and a deep passion for the less fortunate.

She was born on Sept. 7, 1925, in New Britain, Conn., the daughter of the late Ellery and Andrea (Morin) Morrell. She attended high school in Presque Isle, and received a BS degree from St. Joseph’s College in Windham, and a MA degree in Religious Studies from Catholic University in Washington, DC.

She also attended numerous summer/renewal programs from 1976 to 1991 in various locations throughout the Northeast, and received her CPE Certification at Andover-Newton, MA, and Thayer Hospital in Waterville.

Sister Gladys entered the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Lyon on Sept. 8, 1945 and took her final vows Aug. 15, 1952, from 1947 to 1970, she taught at St. Michael’s in South Berwick, Holy Family in Lewiston, St. John’s in Winslow, and Sacred Heart in Auburn.

A gifted religious education teacher, she served as religious education coordinator from 1968 to 1980 at Holy Family in Lewiston, St. Francis Xavier in Winthrop and in Ellsworth.

She was pastoral associate at Notre Dame in Skowhegan, from 1987 to 1990 and was on the RCIA Team at St. John’s in Winslow from 1994 to 2000, as well as the RCIA Inquiry at Holy Spirit in Waterville.

Sister Gladys was a volunteer in the Pastoral Care Department at Mid-Maine Medical Center from 1982 to 1987 and MaineGeneral from 1994 to the present. She had a special love and energy for justice issues and served the USA Province of the Sisters of St. Joseph as Social Justice/Peace Coordinator from 1983 to 1987 and again from 1993 to 2000. Sister Gladys was a Literacy Volunteer Tutor for 10 years, beginning in 1993 and also volunteered at Mid-Maine Homeless Shelter from 1998 to 2000.

Sister Gladys is survived by two sisters, Jeannette Hachey of Gorham, and Doris Peters and brother-in-law Lawrence of York Harbor; her brother, Vernon and sister-in-law, Odie from Bridgeport, Conn.; as well as numerous nieces and nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews.

She was predeceased by her sister, Neilda Schwarz.


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