Sister Noreen Conheeney, OP, Dominican Sisters of Hope, died July 27, 2015 at St Catherine of Siena Healthcare Facility in Caldwell, New Jersey. She was 78 years old.
The daughter of the late Martin J. and Delia (Fleming) Conheeney, she was born June 20, 1937 in Jersey City, New Jersey.
Sister Noreen entered the novitiate of the Dominican Sisters of Newburgh, New York, in September 1955, made her First Profession in June 1957, and Final Profession in August 1960. Sister Noreen earned her BA in Elementary Education from Mount Saint Mary College and her MA in Special Religious Education from Cardinal Stritch College.
Throughout her religious life, Sr. Noreen was a beloved teacher. She began teaching at Saint Anthony School in Hawthorne NJ in 1957 and remained there until 1970. From 1970-79 she taught at Saint Joseph Elementary School in Toms River NJ. From 1979-80, she was director of religious education at Saint Joseph Parish in Toms River. From 1980-93 Sister Noreen taught at Saint Paul School in Jersey City NJ. In 1993, Sister began her work in Special Education. She worked at Lincoln School in Bayonne, New Jersey for one year and then, for the next seventeen years, at Henry Harris School also in Bayonne NJ. Sister Noreen received many awards and acknowledgements for her dedicated work in the field of Special Education. Sister retired from active ministry in 2011. Upon retirement she moved to St. Catherine of Siena Convent in Caldwell, New Jersey.
Sister Noreen is survived by her Dominican Sisters of Hope as well as her loving sister, Jacqueline Curcio, and her husband, Louis. She was predeceased by her dear brother, Rev. Thomas P. Conheeney, and her beloved sister, Mary M. Weatherall, and her husband, James G. Weatherall. She is also survived by loving nephews and nieces, James Weatherall and his wife, Maureen; Mary Sherry and her husband, Greg; Peg Wheble; Thomas P. Weatherall; Carol Remsen and her husband, Rick; Jacqueline DiStefano and her husband, Mark; Stacy Ward and her husband, Chris. She is survived by many loving grandnieces and grandnephews, and great-grandnieces.
Donations in Sister Noreen’s memory can be made to The Dominican Sisters of Hope Development Office, 299 Highland Avenue, Ossining, New York, 10562-2327.