Sister Grace was a dynamic teacher who believed that education was the door to a better future for her students, no matter their age, and she dedicated her life to this value.
Sister Grace Thérèse Murray (Grace Theresa) was born August 30, 1927, in Atlantic City, New Jersey, one of three children, a daughter and two sons, of Walter and Daisy Mottley Murray. Grace attended Incarnation School and Cathedral High School, both in Manhattan, and received a BA in French from Hunter College before entering the Sisters of Charity on February 2, 1950.
In 1959, Sister Grace Thérèse received an MA in French from Fordham University. She received New York State Permanent Certification in Instructional French and Spanish and Permanent Certification in Administration.
Sister Grace Thérèse’s fifty-seven years of active ministry were mainly in the field of education. She also served the Congregation for a period as Assistant to the Treasurer. Her thirty-six years of high school teaching were at Holy Cross Academy and Cathedral in Manhattan, Saint Barnabas and Cardinal Spellman in the Bronx, and Trinity in Shiremanstown, Pennsylvania.
In these assignments, Sister Grace taught French, Spanish, and Religion, and at periods served as Chair of the French Department; for two years at Saint Barnabas, she served as Dean of Students and Assistant Principal. She taught Spanish for a semester at the College of Mount Saint Vincent and provided courses for a year in the extension and summer programs of the College.
Sister Grace applied her teaching experience for fifteen years in classrooms and educational programs of school districts in Sullivan County, New York. With her knowledge and fluency in Spanish, she served the Hispanic Community through BOCES and ESL programs, and parish religious education programs; provided home-bound instruction in the Monticello School District and was a classroom teacher in Tri-Valley Middle School in Grahamsville, and Glory to God Christian High School in Liberty.
When Sister Grace retired in 2009, she continued as a volunteer in Monticello schools and prolife center and was recognized in 2012 by Sullivan County for her volunteer contributions. In that year, she went to live at Mount Saint Vincent Convent and in 2016, joined the Congregation’s retirement community at Schervier Nursing Care Center, the Bronx, where she died December 26, 2020. Sister Grace was in her seventy-first year of commitment as a Sister of Charity of New York.
Sister Grace was a dynamic teacher who believed that education was the door to a better future for her students, no matter their age, and she dedicated her life to this value. Her sense of humor, joined with an open and approachable manner, made her many friends.
Sister Grace Thérèse, we rejoice as you are welcomed into the hope of eternal light and joy opened to us by the birth of our Savior, Jesus. May God’s peace, a gift beyond all understanding, be your rest.
The Mass of Christian Burial from December 30 is available for viewing until January 29.
Link: https://venue.streamspot.com/217aa3db
Date of Death
December 26, 2020
Age
93
Prayer Service & Funeral
December 30, 8:30 a.m.; 9:45 a.m.
Via Live-Stream
Burial
St. Joseph Cemetery
Yonkers, NY
Missions
Archdiocese of New York
- Holy Cross Academy, Manhattan
1952–60, Teacher: French, Spanish, Religion, Typing, Stenography - Cathedral HS, Manhattan
1960–1966, Teacher: Religion, Spanish, French; Chair, French Dept. - St. Barnabas HS, Bronx
1966–70, Teacher: French, Religion; Chair, French Dept.
1991–93, Dean of Students, Assist. Principal, Teacher: Spanish - Cardinal Spellman HS, Bronx
1979–86, Teacher: French, Spanish - SC Center, Bronx
1986–91, Assistant to SC Treasurer - Sullivan County
1993–1994, Education Work Prgm, Hisp. Comm, BOCES
1996–2000, Hispanic Ministry, Religious Ed., Spec. Service Deputy, Town of Clark - Tri–Valley Middle School, Grahamsville
1995–96, Teacher, Spanish - Monticello School District
2000–04, Homebound Instruction, Advocate for the Aging
2005–09, Homebound Instruction K-12 - Glory to God Christian HS, Liberty
2004–05, Assist. Principal, Dean of Students - Monticello School District Special Services/ProLife Center
2009–11, Volunteer, ESL Teacher
Diocese of Harrisburg, PA
- Trinity HS, Shiremanstown
1970–79, Language Dept. Chair; Teacher: French, Spanish, Religion
What a wonderful laugh. I learned early on to always call her Sr. Grace Therese! Never a short cut. She cared deeply for those she ministered to in Monticello and they cared deeply for her.
Thank you, Bill.
I knew Grace from both Incarnation and Cathedral. I saw her at Mass most mornings and she coached me in basketball at Cathedral while she was going to college at Hunter. We kept in touch for many years, but as the years went by lost contact.
I always admired her strength of character and her outgoing personality. She found a home in upstate NY and gave abundantly
to the community. RIP Grace.
Thank you for sharing your memories. Gif bless.
A life well lived! All who knew Sister Grace Therese were richer for it.
Repose en paix.
So true! Thank you for your kind words. Blessings for a healthy new year.
Thank you for the opportunity to participate with the live streaming. The first time I watched was Sr. Theresa Luciano’s funeral in November and felt very much in touch with the sisters attending. Blessings for the New Year and thanks, again, for your openness and sensitivity. Peace and all Good!!
We are so grateful for your participation. Peace and blessings to you.
She was my favorite teacher at Trinity High School. She knew and understood and loved high school students. A wonderful woman!
She was the epitome of what a nun should be. RIP Sister, I’m so happ.y you taught me and graced the halls of Trinity while I was there.
She was truly a gift to us all. We’re happy to know you have fond memories. Thank you.