Kinnarney Dc, Eileen Sr.

ALBANY - Sister Eileen Kinnarney,Sr., Daughter of Charity, age 98, died at St. Louise House in Albany on December 28, 2020.

Shewas born in 1922 in Framingham, MA, to Margaret A. Garvin and Hubert P. Kinnarney. Eileen grew up in Ashland, MA with her brother and two sisters. After high school Eileen studied nursing at Carney Hospital, Boston, and took care of patients in Natick Hospital, Natick, MA.

At 29 she entered the Daughters of Charity in Emmitsburg, MD. Nursing in all its aspects remained the love of her life.

Sister Eileen was well prepared for hospital ministry. She received a BS from St. Joseph College, Emmitsburg, MD; an MS in psychiatric nursing from Catholic University, Washington, DC; an MS in public health nursing from the University of Michigan and an honorary doctorate from Niagara University.

Sister spent 55 years in a variety of positions striving to improve quality in the health care ministry. Among her duties were nursing, supervision, administration of departments, CEO, board chair, board member and finally as a certified chaplain in St. Mary’s Hospital, Troy, NY in 1994.

Sister Eileen’s health care ministry took her to Washington, DC; Baltimore, MD; Bridgeport, CT; Southfield, MI; Waterville, ME; Buffalo, NY; and Rochester, NY. For several months in 1980, Sister responded to an emergency in the camps for displaced persons on the Cambodian border in Thailand where 150,000 refugees were suffering from malaria, dysentery, typhoid, and malnutrition.

Sister was called upon for special services to the Daughters of Charity. She was slow to resume her nursing career for she was the assistant novice director for five years in her beginning days. She was Sister Servant (local superior) in five different locations and served on the Provincial Council and as the Provincial Assistant from 1972 to 1981. She also enjoyed guiding individual Sisters in their annual retreats.

Her prayer life, love of Scripture, sense of humor and kindness were noteworthy.

Failing health brought her to St. Louise in 2007, but she continued her pastoral ministry at St. Mary’s Hospital two mornings a week.

Sister is survived by her brother-in-law Lawrence and her nieces Eileen Geoghegan and Eileen Warren, many nieces and nephews, all from Massachusetts; and her Sisters in Community. She was predeceased by two sisters, Virginia Sibson and Kathleen Geoghegan and her brother Joseph.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, a private wake service and funeral Mass will be held at St. Louise House in Menands on January 4, 2021.

Internment will take place in St. Agnes Cemetery, Menands.