Sister Mary Damian (Grace) Waldron, RSM. A Pittsburgh Sister of Mercy for 76 years, died at the Convent of Mercy on November 6, 2019. Born in Pittsburgh, Pa., she was 101 years old. Daughter of John J. and Elizabeth (Herbst) Waldron, Sister Damian entered the Sisters of Mercy from St. James Parish, West End, Pittsburgh in 1943 and made final vows in 1949. Sister Damian earned a degree in sociology from Mount Mercy College (now Carlow University). She taught at Our Lady of Mercy Academy and St. Paul Orphanage before working in the business office at Mercy Hospital (now UPMC Mercy). Sister Damian was one of the original Sisters of Mercy who assumed management of Holy Cross Hospital in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. in 1959. She was instrumental in establishing the Department of Pastoral Care and organized the Tumor Registry at Holy Cross. Sister Damian's personality and ability to interact graciously with others allowed her to bring peace to individuals and families in the Holy Cross Emergency Room. She returned to Pittsburgh in 2014. In preparing her own funeral liturgy, Sister Damian included a note to her family, community, and friends which reads in part: "I leave you a solemn promise that after I am home, in the bosom of God, I will still be present with each of you, whenever and wherever you call on me." Preceded in death by her parents, sisters, Agnes Fox, Mary Catherine and Dorothy Waldron, Elizabeth Ulrich, Beatrice Boucek and Rosemarie Harkins, and brothers James Waldron, and John Bernard Waldron. Friends will be received Friday, November 8 from 4-8 p.m. at the Convent of Mercy, 3333 Fifth Avenue. Funeral Mass will be celebrated Saturday, November 9 at 11:00 a.m. in the Chapel at the Convent of Mercy, followed by interment in St. Xavier's Cemetery, Latrobe, Pa. Arrangements entrusted to the EDWARD P. KANAI FUNERAL HOME, 500 Greenfield Avenue. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Sisters of Mercy, 3333 Fifth Ave., Pittsburgh, Pa. 15213 or Carlow University Scholarship Fund.

(Published in Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on Nov. 8, 2019)