Sr. Mary Claire Kennedy Ssj

Sister Mary Claire Kennedy, SSJ, 96, of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Northwestern Pennsylvania, died on May 23, 2025, in the 75th year of her religious life. She was born in Erie, PA, on November 24, 1928, the daughter of the late Charles and Bernice (Graney) Kennedy. She entered the Sisters of St. Joseph from St. Joseph Parish in 1951 and professed her final vows on August 15, 1956.
Sister Mary Claire graduated from Academy High School, Erie, in 1946 and continued her education at Villa Maria College, earning a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry. She furthered her education at Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, obtaining a Master of Science in Organic Chemistry in 1955 and a Doctorate in Biochemistry in 1972. She was also a registered medical technologist.
Sister Mary Claire taught at Villa Maria Academy and St. Peter Cathedral School in Erie. She served in various capacities at Villa Marie College, Erie, including associate professor, chemistry instructor, and Chair of the Chemistry Department. She ministered at Saint Vincent Hospital as a clinical chemist and instructor in the School of Medical Technology and the School of Nursing. She was a visiting professor at the University of Wisconsin at the Institute for Enzyme Research and a research professor of biochemistry at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee. She was a Visiting Scholar in the Faculty of Biology at the University of Konstanz, Germany, and received a Fellowship from the German Academic Exchange Service. During her career, she authored or co-authored numerous scientific publications.
Sister Mary Claire served her congregation on its council and as Social Justice Coordinator. In 2011, she was recognized as one of six people "Who Made a Difference" in the Erie community. In 2018, she was honored during Catholic Sisters Week for her many years of dedicated social activism. She was known as an outspoken crusader against human trafficking. She organized a local human trafficking collaboration that offered a series of presentations featuring Dr. Kevin Bales, internationally known for his work in human trafficking advocacy. She helped form the Northwest Pennsylvania Anti-Human Trafficking Coalition. She was involved in many local and global initiatives to promote peace and justice, providing advocacy and action on issues from war to health care, from the environment to human rights. She spearheaded the Sisters of St. Joseph Annual Thanksgiving Dinner for many years, providing thousands of free meals. She was presented with the Archbishop Oscar Romero award from Mercyhurst University, which recognizes the accomplishments and commitment of local and international peace and justice leaders. She collaborated with other local Catholic Sisters to coordinate numerous Take Back the Site Vigils. She worked tirelessly to engage members of her congregation and the local community in advocating for the rights of others. She also served on the Boards of Villa Maria Academy, the Sisters of St. Joseph Neighborhood Network, and Erie DAWN, Inc.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her brothers William, R. Gordon, Richard, Charles T. Kennedy, Jr., her sister, Connie Monahan, and sisters-in-law Jean, Jeanne, Betty, and Ellen. She is survived by a brother, Jon Kennedy of Erie, and several nieces and nephews, including her godchildren, Laura Nicolia and Molly Lang. 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 Wednesday, May 28, beginning at 1:00 p.m. with prayer and sharing of memories. Calling hours will continue until 3:50 p.m., followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 4:00 p.m. The Mass will be livestreamed on the Sisters of St. Joseph YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/user/SSJErie/live. The interment will be at Calvary Cemetery.
Memorials may be made to the Sisters of St. Joseph Mission & Ministries Foundation, 5031 West Ridge Road, Erie, PA, 16506-1249. The Kloecker Funeral Home is handling arrangements.