Sister Mary Lorraine Beckes – Obituary
years of age.
The daughter of the late Gregor Luke and Apollonia Pitonyak Beckes, she was born June 14,
1918 in Bitumen, Pennsylvania.
Sister Mary Lorraine entered the novitiate of the Dominican Sisters of Newburgh, New York on
September 8, 1942, made her First Profession June 18, 1944, and Final Profession August 21,
1949. Sister Mary Lorraine earned her BS in Elementary Education from Villanova. She earned
her Master’s degree in Elementary Education, also from Villanova, and minored in Secondary
education.
Sister Mary Lorraine taught elementary school children at Holy Trinity School in Passaic, NJ
(1944-45), Saints Peter and Paul School in Trenton, NJ (1945-59), Holy Family School in New
Rochelle, NY (1959-62), Christ the King School in Yonkers, NY (1962-71), Guardian Angel
School in New York City (1971-72), and St. Joseph Grade School in Toms River, NJ (1972-88).
After leaving full time teaching, she continued on at St. Joseph’s as a teachers’ assistant until her
retirement in July of 2009. Sister retired to St Catherine of Siena Convent in Caldwell, New
Jersey to reside with the Sisters of St Dominic of Caldwell.
Sister Lorraine is survived by her sister Julia DePiano, and her nephews Eugene, George, and
John Beckes and nephews Francis and Joseph DePiano. She is predeceased by her parents
Gregor and Apollonia Beckes, her brothers John and Joseph Beckes and her sisters Margaret
Beckes and Mary Hope.
A Mass of the Resurrection took place in the chapel of St. Catherine of Siena Convent on April
12, 2016.
