Ann Loretta Urmann SSJ

1924 - 2020

Ann Loretta Urmann, SSJ, age 95, of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Northwestern Pennsylvania, died on July 18, 2020. 
She was born Mary Regis Urmann in Elbon, Pennsylvania, on August 23, 1924, the daughter of the late Joseph and M. Ruth McMackin Urmann. 
She graduated from St. Leo High School, Ridgway, PA, in 1942. After high school, she worked at a defense plant for two years while considering the various opportunities life offered. Ultimately, she entered the Sisters of St. Joseph of Northwestern Pennsylvania from St. Leo Parish in Ridgway, PA, on February 2, 1945. She professed her final vows on August 15, 1950, and was in the 76th year of her religious life when she passed. On the occasion of the 60th anniversary of her religious life, she stated, "I love my religious vocation and . . . have found it great and beautiful."
She continued her education at Villa Maria College, Erie, where she earned a bachelor of science degree in elementary education in 1962. She later earned a master of science degree in social sciences from Gannon University, Erie, in 1972.
Sister Ann Loretta ministered in education for 43 years. She taught at Blessed Sacrament, St. Patrick, and St. Andrew schools in Erie; St. Brigid, Meadville; Holy Rosary, Johnsonburg; and St. Francis, Clearfield. She also served as principal at Holy Rosary, Johnsonburg; Holy Rosary, Erie; St. John, Erie; and St. Francis, Clearfield. She served in secondary administration at St. Francis High School, Clearfield and Bradford Central Christian, Bradford, PA.
Other ministry service included serving as a housemother at St. Joseph Home for Children, Erie, and director of Respect for Life Programs for the Diocese of Erie.  She began working in her congregation's archives office in 1989 and served as archivist until 2008. 
Sister Ann Loretta was an avid stamp collector. She also had a keen interest in genealogy and spent years researching and compiling an extensive family genealogy as a gift to her living relatives.
In addition to her parents, Sister Ann Loretta was preceded in death by three brothers, Edward, Joseph and John; and one sister, Helen Urmann. 
She is survived by a brother, James, of Singer Island, FL; a sister, Ruth Ann O'Connor, of Ponce Inlet, FL; and several nieces and nephews. She is also survived by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Northwestern Pennsylvania.
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, there will be no calling hours. A Mass of Christian Burial will be live-streamed on Thursday, July 23, 2020, at 4:30 p.m. on the Kloecker Funeral Home Facebook page  (https://www.facebook.com/KloeckerFuneralHome). 
Also, there will be a Mass on Saturday, July 25, 2020, at 11 a.m. at St. Leo Magnus Church, Ridgway, PA, with Reverend Justin Pino presiding. Interment will be at Calvary Cemetery.
Memorials may be made to the Sisters of St. Joseph of Northwestern Pennsylvania, 5031 West Ridge Road, Erie, PA, 16506-1249 or online at www.ssjerie.org. The Kloecker Funeral Home is handling arrangements.