Sister Michaela Fox Ssj

Sister Michaela Fox, SSJ

ERIE, PA: Sister Michaela Fox, SSJ, age 86, of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Northwestern Pennsylvania, died on November 5, 2015.

She was in the 60th year of her religious life. She was born in Lancaster, OH, on July 8, 1929, the daughter of the late Henry and Marie (Deible) Fox. She entered the Sisters of St. Joseph in Columbus, OH from St. Joseph Parish in Sugar Grove, OH, on February 2, 1957. She professed her final vows on August 15, 1964. She transferred to the Sisters of St. Joseph of Northwestern Pennsylvania in 1988 and celebrated her Golden Jubilee (50 years) in 2006.

Sister Michaela graduated from Saint Mary School in Lancaster, OH and continued her education at the Ohio Dominican University, Columbus, OH where she graduated in 1969 with a Bachelor of Science degree in elementary education. She was a certified ceramics teacher and graduated from the Jolly Jesters Clown College, Erie, in 1989.

Sister Michaela taught young children for more than 40 years in the ministry of education. She taught at St. John, St. Andrew, Sacred Heart, Our Lady of Peace and Villa Maria Elementary schools in Erie. She also taught at Holy Spirit and Villa Madonna kindergarten in Columbus, OH; and Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Grove City, OH. She served as housemother and evening meal cook for 16 residents at Immaculate Conception House in Columbus, OH (a convent renovated into a retirement home.) She also worked in child care for two years at Wegmans, west Erie location.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by a twin sister, Helen Miller, of Arlington, VA; and two brothers, Charles and James; and another sister, Joann Ludwig.

She is survived her sister, Mary Motter, of Lancaster, OH; a sister-in-law, Jean Fox, of Sugar Grove, OH; and a brother, Brother Joseph Fox, of Notre Dame, IN. She is also survived by her religious community, the Sisters of St. Joseph.

Friends may call at the Sisters of St. Joseph Community Living Center, 5031 West Ridge Road, Erie, on Sunday, November 8, 2015, from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., when a prayer service will be held. Calling hours continue on Monday, November 9, from 2 until 4 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will follow at 4:30 p.m. Interment will be at Calvary Cemetery.

Memorials may be made to the Community Support Fund of the Sisters of St. Joseph, 5031 West Ridge Road, Erie, PA, 16506-1249. The John J. Quinn Funeral Home, 728 West 9th St. is handling arrangements.