Sister Cecilia noted that one of her proudest achievements was attaining accreditation by the Middle States Association for Saint Denis School, achieved by the motivation of the students to excel and the faculty members to prove their capability.

Sister Cecilia Marie Reeves, Sister John Maria, was born March 11, 1930, in the Bronx, New York, the eldest of three daughters of John and Teresa Doherty Reeves. Cecilia attended Saint Anselm School, the Bronx, Cathedral High School, Manhattan, worked and attended Hunter College for two years before entering the Sisters of Charity of New York on September 8, 1949. Sister John Maria earned a BA in History from College (University) of Mount Saint Vincent and an MA in History from Seton Hall University, New Jersey. New York State awarded her Permanent Certification in Elementary School Administration and History 7-12.

Sister Cecilia’s forty-nine years of ministry were in the field of education: thirty-nine years on the grade school level and ten years as teacher and administrator on the high school level. On the elementary level, Sister Cecilia served at Ascension, Saint Stephen, and Incarnation in Manhattan, Visitation, Saint Barnabas, and Our Lady of Angels, in the Bronx, Saint Francis of Assisi, Mount Kisco, and Saint Peter, Poughkeepsie. Sister Cecilia taught history at Bishop McDonnell High School, Brooklyn, for seven years before returning to elementary education as the Principal of Saint Denis, Yonkers, for twenty-three years. Sister Cecilia noted that one of her proudest achievements was attaining accreditation by the Middle States Association for Saint Denis School, achieved by the motivation of the students to excel and the faculty members to prove their capability.

After a sabbatical, Sister Cecilia was appointed to the administrative team of Sacred Heart High School, Yonkers, and then assumed the role of Administrator of Sacred Heart Elementary School for two years. After retirement in 2002, Sister Cecilia volunteered her services in various areas, including for the retired sisters at Convent of Mary the Queen in Yonkers.  In 2014, Sister Cecilia was among the first group of Sisters of Charity to move to Assisted Living at Jewish Home Lifecare (now The New Jewish Home) in the Bronx. Recently, she moved to Cabrini of Westchester in Dobbs Ferry where she resided until she died March 10, 2025, in her 76^th year of commitment as a Sister of Charity of New York.

Sister Cecilia is remembered as a kind and understanding teacher who made learning interesting on both the elementary and secondary level. We rejoice with her as she hears our loving God say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”  Be at peace, Sister Cecilia.