Submitted by: Dan Rich

Sr. M. J. Lasalle McMahon CSC

Dec. 13, 1917 - Dec. 31, 2000

South Bend Tribune 1/4/2001

Sister Mary Jean LaSalle (Mary Agnes McMahon), CSC, 83, was born in Binghamton, N.Y., on Dec. 13, 1917, the seventh of nine children of John H. McMahon and Mary Cecilia (Fitzpatrick) McMahon. Sister is survived by her sister, Teresa (John) Burns of Binghamton; sisters-in-law, Vivian (Thomas) McMahon, Helen (Paul) McMahon, Marie (Raymond) McMahon, Katherine (John) McMahon and Mary (Robert) McMahon; and by numerous nieces, nephews, grand-nieces and grand-nephews.

Sister Mary Jean LaSalle entered the Congregation of the Sisters of the Holy Cross in August 1933. She made first vows on Aug. 15, 1936, and began teaching in elementary schools in 1936 at St. Mary's Academy, Austin, Texas, where she taught grades 3, 4 and 5, all in one room. Most of her teaching was done in schools in the East: Virginia, Ohio, New York and Washington, D.C. She had a good singing voice and was responsible for choirs in the schools where she taught. In 1962-1964 Sister cared for her mother and returned to teaching at the Campus School at Saint Mary's from 1964-1966. She returned East to teach at Blessed Sacrament School, Alexandria, Va., Holy Trinity School, Norfolk, Va., and St. Mary's Academy, Alexandria, 1966-1973.

In 1965 Sister Mary Jean LaSalle earned her BA degree from Dunbarton College, Washington, D.C. After receiving her MA from the Jesuit School of Applied Theology, Berkeley, Calif., in 1977, she spent ten years in parish ministry in Virginia, Washington, D.C., and as administrator of a parish in the Austin, Texas, diocese. In 1992 she retired to Saint Angela's in Kensington, Md. At her request, in 1999, she came to Saint Mary's Convent, and then moved to the newly renovated Basil Moreau Convent where she was active in the Ministry of Prayer. She died on the last day of the year while visiting her family and friends in Binghamton.

Reception of the body will be at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 6, in the Church of Our Lady of Loretto, Saint Mary's, Notre Dame, Ind. Funeral Mass will be at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 6, in the Church of Our Lady of Loretto, Saint Mary's, followed by interment at Our Lady Queen of Peace Cemetery, Saint Mary's. Memorial contributions may be made to the Sisters of the Holy Cross Ministry with the Poor Fund, Saint Mary's, Notre Dame, IN 46556. The Kaniewski Funeral Home is handling arrangements.