Emilie Rose LeBoeuf, SSJ, 78, of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Northwestern Pennsylvania, died on November 17, 2014, in the 62nd year of her religious life. Sr. Emilie Rose was born in Bradford, Pennsylvania, on September 14, 1936, the daughter of the late Archie and Betty Gates LeBoeuf.
She entered the Sisters of St. Joseph from her home parish, St. Bernard of Clairvaux, Bradford, Pennsylvania in 1953, and professed her final vows on August 15, 1959. She celebrated 60 years of religious life in 2013.
Sister Emilie Rose LeBoeuf felt the call to her vocation at a very early age, when she made her first communion. She said that her call was nourished by the dedication and spirituality of teachers at St. Bernard in Bradford, particularly Sisters Consuela, Rose Agnes, Mary Pascal, Marcella and Virginia Ann. It was, as she said, how they lived the charism of the Sisters of St. Joseph that drew her to her vocation, and she credited the sacrifices and loving support of her parents that enabled her to answer the call to religious life.
Sr. Emilie Rose graduated from St. Bernard High School and Elementary School in Bradford, Pennsylvania. She earned a B.S. degree in Elementary Education from Villa Maria College, Erie, in 1964, and an M.A. in Theatre Arts in 1979 from Villanova University, Villanova, Pennsylvania.
Sr. Emilie Rose worked as a teacher for nearly 50 years, 43 of which were spent teaching in the Erie Diocese, at the following schools: St. Andrew’s, Erie; St. Agatha, Meadville; Holy Rosary, Erie; St. Patrick, Erie; Our Lady’s Christian, Erie; St. Marys, Reynoldsville; Kennedy Catholic High School, Hermitage; St. Ann’s, Erie, where she also served as principal; St. Leo Elementary, Ridgway; Elk County Catholic High School, St. Marys; Bradford Christian High School, Bradford; Villa Maria Elementary, Erie; and Venango Catholic High School, in Oil City.
Sister Emilie Rose also participated in the SSJ/Marycrest Prayer Card ministry, praying for patients at Saint Vincent Hospital. She was a receptionist/volunteer with the Oil City, PA Housing Authority, and she ministered with the Adult Education / Resource Center with Career Link of Oil City. Sister Emilie Rose received recognition for participation in a Congressional Leadership Conference, and she attended numerous seminars on a variety of topics. She was nominated four times to Who’s Who Among American Teachers.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her sister, Dorothy and her brother-in-law Daniel.
She is survived by her nephew Mark Taylor and many friends. She is also survived by her family, the Sisters of St. Joseph.
Friends may call at the Sisters of St. Joseph Community Living Center, 5031 West Ridge Road, Erie on Thursday from 2:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m., when a Mass of Christian Burial will be held. Private interment will be at Trinity Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Community Support Fund of the Sisters of St. Joseph, 5031 West Ridge Road, Erie, PA 16506-1249. The John J. Quinn Funeral Home is handling arrangements.
