TRAVELERS REST—Sister Marie E. Beha, of the Order of St. Clare, died at the Monastery of St. Clare on March 20. She was 92.
The Mass of Christian Burial was held at the monastery on March 25, which was her 47thanniversary as a Poor Clare. Burial was in the monastery cemetery.
Sister Marie served as a Franciscan for 77 years. She was first a Joliet Franciscan for 30 years before God called her to the Poor Clares in 1972.
She was an exemplary educator throughout her life. She served as a high school teacher and college philosophy professor with the Joliet Franciscans and then as formation director and abbess with the Poor Clares.
She was a very formative person in the life of the Poor Clare community in the Diocese of Charleston, and in the Holy Name Federation of Poor Clares. She also wrote articles for various religious publications for 25 years, educating generations of the faithful.
In addition to her Poor Clare and Joliet Franciscan sisters, Sister Marie is survived by her beloved sister, Martha B. Gessner of Littleton, N.H.; two nephews, Bill (Maryann) Gessner and Bob Gessner; plus grandnephews, a grandniece, and several great-grandnephews and great-grandnieces.
