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Sister Gabriel Suszko, OSBM 1922-2017

August 29, 2017
Posted in: News, Obituaries

Sister Gabriel Suszko, OSBM, died Monday, July 31, 2017, at the Motherhouse of the Sisters of St. Basil the Great in Fox Chase Manor, PA, after a long illness. She was 94.

Born Lena Suszko in Marian Heights, PA, Sister Gabriel was the daughter of the late Ivan and Lena (Neiman) Suszko. She was baptized on October 21, 1922 at St. Mary Ukrainian Catholic Church in Keiser, PA.

After graduation from high school, Lena Suszko entered the Convent of the Sisters of St. Basil on August 10, 1941. She professed her first vows August 28, 1944 and her final vows on August 27, 1950.

Besides serving at St. Basil Academy in Fox Chase Manor and St. Basil School in Philadelphia, Sister also served as teacher and principal in numerous parishes throughout the United States: Chicago, IL; Chester, PA; Cohoes, NY; Cleveland, OH; Olyphant, PA; Auburn, NY; Newark, NJ and Watervliet, NY. Sister’s longest tenure was at St. George School in New York City where she served from 1975 to 2001. Along the way, Sister found the time to earn her BA in Education from Villanova University.

Sister Gabriel returned to the Motherhouse in 2002 where her health steadily declined.

Sister’s favorite quote was: “Only when we meet the living God do we know what life is all about” (Pope Benedict).