“She is always there when we need her, and her door is always open for the faculty and children.”
Sister Audrey Boylan (Sister Thomas Miriam) was born on November 24, 1929 in New York City, the only child of John and Florence Aubrey Boylan. Audrey attended Saint Columba School, Cathedral High School, and Hunter College, all located in Manhattan. On February 2, 1950 she entered the Sisters of Charity of New York and received the religious name Sister Thomas Miriam. Sister Thomas received a BA in History from the College of Mount Saint Vincent, an MA in Education from Seton Hall University, and an MA in Administration from Richmond College, Staten Island.
Sister Audrey’s ministry of education spanned many levels, from elementary through university. After teaching at Saint Athanasius, Bronx, and Epiphany, Manhattan, she was missioned to Our Lady Star of the Sea, Staten Island, in 1965. Here she taught for six years and was then appointed principal where she served until 1984. In September 1981, Sister Audrey was unanimously named Today’s Catholic Teacher Principal of the Month by her students and staff and at the 1982 annual National Catholic Education Association Convention in Chicago, Sister Audrey received the Principal of the Year Award. A teacher at Our Lady Star of the Sea stated that Sister Audrey had the right combination of virtues. “I find her exceptionally warm and compassionate, and yet a strong and very demanding principal. She is always there when we need her, and her door is always open for the faculty and children.”
In 1984, Sister Audrey was appointed as principal of Saint Ignatius Loyola School in Manhattan. She remained here until 1990 when she became an Educational Mentor at Fordham Graduate School of Education, Bronx. In 1994, Sister Audrey became the Director of Student Affairs, and then Director of Operations at Grace Institute. In 1999 she returned to Fordham University as an Educational Mentor until 2006. Sister Audrey volunteered in the Archives of Saint Vincent Hospital, Manhattan, until her retirement in 2009.
Sister Audrey was a kind, compassionate and concerned educator and administrator. She was a firm, but fair, disciplinarian and an example of understanding to all those with whom she lived and worked. Sister Audrey, rejoice now as you are welcomed into eternity by your loving God whom you served so well as a Sister of Charity.
DATE OF DEATH
December 2, 2014
WAKE
Convent of Mary the Queen
35 Vark Street, Yonkers, NY 10701
Thursday, December 4, 2014,
2:00–8:00 pm
Prayer Service 6:30 pm
FUNERAL MASS
Convent of Mary the Queen
Friday, December 5, 2014
10:30 am
BURIAL
Saint Joseph Cemetery Yonkers, NY
Ministries
- St. Athanasius
1952–1959, Teacher - Fordham University Graduate School of Education
1990–1994 - Education Mentor
1999–2006 - Sisters of Charity Center, Bronx
2009–2010, Volunteer - Epiphany
1959–1965, Teacher - St. Ignatius Loyola
1984–1990 - Principal Grace Institute
1994–1998 - Director of Student Affairs
1998–1999 - St. Vincent’s Hospital, Bronx
2006–2009 - Archives Volunteer, Bronx
- Our Lady Star of the Sea
1965–1971, Teacher - Our Lady Star of the Sea
1971–1984, Principal
Dear Sister Audrey,
My heart is broken that you have left us. I will miss you forever. My only joy is that you are with your Mom and Dad, my god parents.
Please send them my love and I will never forget all the fun times we had together. Our recent visit all we did was laugh and you made my husband crackup. Thanks for all the joy you gave me.
Love you, Terry and Michael Straut
Thank you for sharing your thoughts.
Dear Sisters,
Please allow me to express my sympathy for the loss of Sister Audrey (Thomas Miriam). Sister was my 8th grade teacher at Epiphany School in Manhattan. she was fun loving, caring and a great teacher. Her style was unique and she always cared about the lost child. I believe she is in the arms of her Creator, probably directing activities in Heaven. Love and Peace to all the wonderful Sisters of Charity, especially those who served us so well at Epiphany.
Peace, prayes and Love,
Br. David ( John Migliorino, class of 1963)
Thank you, Brother David.
My condolences to Sister Audrey’s family and the Sisters of Charity. I, too, was in Sister’s 8th grade class at Epiphany and remember good times, being motivated to learn by her wise instruction and enjoying being in her class. Beyond that, I can only echo Br. David’s very well-chosen words.
Thank you, Sisters, from the bottom of my heart. Your lessons guide and remain with me more then a half-century later.
Frank B. Meade (Class of 1963)
PS Hello to Brother David
Realizing that Sr. Audrey was my teacher and would not have allowed me to get away with it, I have to correct a typo in my previous post. RE: “…more then a half-century later.” – it’s a typo; I know the difference between “than” and “then”!
🙂
My condolences to Sr. Audrey’s family and friends. I can hear Sr. Audrey saying my dad’s name allowed as she recognizes him entering the Pearly Gates! My dad in heaven, absolutely loved and respected her. She was my principal at Our Lady Star of the Sea for all 9 years including Kindergarten. She was an encouraging, kind and spirited individual who respected education and her educators. Years later she hired me as the art teacher of St. Ignatius Loyola for two years. Looking back it was the most rewarding position I have ever had in my 25 years of being an educator. She allowed for creativity from her staff and the children! Her door was always open and she always had words of wisdom to share. Peace and Love Sr. Audrey, <3 Duanna
This is a year late, but I just came across this sad news. Sister Thomas ( Audrey) taught me in 1960-61 in the 8th grade at Epiphany School. She was, without question, the finest educator I ever encountered, apart from my late wife. That includes the 8 years of Jesuit education I was fortunate to experience at Xavier and Fordham. She was intelligent, understanding, funny, and truly Christian. And she loved her boys. She would, I believe, be happy to know that I followed her into the classroom, first in 13 years in Catholic schools in Brooklyn, the Bronx, and Queens. And then for 25 years with the NYC schools in Woodside and Whitestone. She was with me and a piece of her was with every student I ever taught.
Dear Bob, no, Robert,
Thank you for your lovely tribute. It will be passed along to Sr. Audrey’s dearest friend who will surely be touched by your words. Blessings to you and your family in this new year.