Mary Judith Seman Scn

Sister Mary Judith Seman, SCN, 98, died on Thursday, June 5, 2025, in Nazareth, Kentucky. She spent more than 80 years devoted to religious life. Born Dorothy Bernardine Seman on Aug. 16, 1926, in Cleveland, Ohio, Sister Judy was the ninth of ten children of Slovak immigrants John George Seman and Eva Bucko. Her father served as a maintenance man at St. Ladislas Church, where she was baptized. The family's deep faith and connection to the Vincentian Sisters of Charity at their parish school nurtured her vocation. In 1941, she entered Vincentian Academy in Pittsburgh as an aspirant and joined the Vincentian Sisters of Charity in 1944. She professed her perpetual vows on Aug. 8, 1952. The Vincentian Sisters later merged with the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth in 2008. Sister Judy began her ministry as an elementary school teacher in Pennsylvania, serving in McKeesport, Ellsworth, Uniontown, Braddock, and Pittsburgh. She embraced innovative educational methods, including the non-graded system and early childhood programs. She earned a bachelor's degree in Education from Duquesne University in 1957 and a master's degree in Reading Supervision from Cardinal Stritch University in 1964. Her leadership roles included serving as educational consultant, councillor, and retirement coordinator at the Motherhouse in Pittsburgh. In 1979, she entered a new leadership role as General Superior for the Vincentian Sisters of Charity. During her tenure, she oversaw the expansion of the community cemetery, the establishment of St. Vincent Hall, and the implementation of an early childhood program at the VSC Motherhouse. "My life changed from working with children and parents to working primarily with our Sisters and the business of the Congregation," Sister Judy recalled in a 2016 interview. "God's graces were always with me, and I enjoyed working with the Sisters and watching their spiritual growth and the growth of the Community." In 1987, she began a new ministry as parish social minister at St. Thomas à Becket Church in Jefferson Hills, Pennsylvania, a role she held until her retirement in 2016. In October of 2020, Sister Judy moved to Carrico Hall on the Nazareth Motherhouse Campus in Kentucky. Sister Judy was known for her joyful spirit and dedication to the sick, elderly, and those in need. She lived her life positively, finding joy in everyday moments and setting an example for her fellow Sisters. She was preceded in death by her parents and siblings. She is survived by her extended family and her religious community, the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth. Funeral arrangements for Sister Judy Seman are as follows: The Wake will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, June 11, 2025, at St. Vincent de Paul Church in Nazareth, Kentucky. The Honor Guard will form at 4 p.m. in front of the Nazareth Motherhouse. The Funeral Mass will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, June 12, at St. Vincent de Paul Church. Burial will follow in the Nazareth Cemetery. Both services will be streamed at nazareth.org/live. Funeral Arrangements are being handled by Houghlin Greenwell Funeral Home, 1475 New Shepherdsville Road, Bardstown, KY 40004. Memorials may be made to the SCN Office of Mission Advancement, PO Box 9, Nazareth, KY 40048.