Sister Martha Day

DAY, Sister Martha S.P. Sr. Martha Day, S.P. formerly known as Sr. Mary Gerald, died on Thursday, (July 29, 2004). She was in the 31st year of her religious life. Born in Lynn, MA, she was the daughter of the late Joseph and Mary (Nowakowska) Dziengowski. A graduate of Antrim High School, Antrim, NH, Sacred Heart Hospital School of Nursing and St. Anselm's College School of Nursing, Manchester, NH, she entered the Sisters of Providence in 1963. Sr. Martha was an operating room nurse at Providence Hospital prior to her long-term ministry with people with disabilities and their families. She served for 25 years at The Bureau for Exceptional Children and Adults at Jericho, Holyoke. As supervisor of the Home Visitation program, she traveled the four counties of Western Massachusetts ministering to the needs of her clients. She initiated retreats for women with disabilities and for eight years conducted these retreats at the Providence Mother House. In 1990, Sr. Martha Day was awarded the International Order of Alhambra Sir Noble Theodore Lussier's Humanitarian Award for Professionalism in recognition for her many years of dedicated and loving service to the handicapped people of Western Massachusetts. Sister was an artist and many of her paintings have been exhibited in art galleries throughout the Pioneer Valley. She was also an avid gardener, caring for the cloister gardens at the Providence Mother House as well as house plants. Sister held membership in many professional and civic organizations including the Hampden County Association for Retarded Children, National Apostolate for the Mentally Retarded, Committee for Jericho Village, Inc., Deerfield Art Association, Holyoke League of Arts & Crafts, Inc., where she served on the Board, and the American Nurses Association. Sr. Martha is survived by her sisters, Stacia Muir of Southington and Helen Webb of Plainville; her sister-in-law, Margaret Dziengowski of Philadelphia, PA; numerous nieces and nephews, cousins and friends; as well as her Sisters in Community. The Wake will be held on Sunday, August 1, 3-7:30 p.m. at Providence Place, 5 Gamelin Street, Holyoke, MA. Liturgy of Christian Burial will be celebrated Monday, August 2, at 10 a.m. in the Providence Place Chapel. The Dillon Funeral Home Inc., 124 Chestnut St., Holyoke, MA has been entrusted with the arrangements. Memorial donations may be made to the Sisters of Providence, 5 Gamelin St., Holyoke, MA 01040.