Mercy Sister Mary Edwin Byrne

August 28, 2015

Mercy Sister Mary Edwin Byrne died July 22.

Born in Los Angeles, Sister Mary Edwin entered the Sisters of Mercy a month after high school graduation in 1940, professed vows in January of 1943 and began 51 years of ministry as an elementary school teacher at schools including St. Gabriel, St. Peter, and Holy Name, San Francisco and St. Catherine of Siena, Burlingame.

“She was a consummate educator,” said Mercy Sister Toni Lynn Gallagher. “Her life was about school- about educating, preparing, welcoming, instructing, always looking out for the student who was falling behind. Her sole ministry was education.”

In 2005, she retired to Marian Oaks Life Center in Burlingame where, as her long-time friend Mercy Sister Mary Edith Hurley said, “She was into everything. She kept up with everyone and everything. She was so involved with people.”

A funeral Mass was celebrated July 27 at Mercy Convent Chapel in Burlingame with interment at Holy Cross Cemetery, Colma. Survivors include her sister Cecilia Dempsey. Memorial gifts may be made to the Sisters of Mercy, 2300 Adeline Drive, Burlingame 94010.