Sr. Mary Plunkett, OP, formerly known as Sister John Clare, died on Tuesday, February 11, 2025, at the Dominican Life Center in Adrian, Michigan. She was 86 years of age and in the 68th year of her religious profession in the Adrian Dominican Congregation.
Sister Mary was born in Detroit, Michigan, to John and Hazel (Cutler) Plunkett. She graduated from Dominican High School in Detroit and obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in Spanish from Siena Heights College (University) in Adrian and a Master of Education degree in elementary education and a Master of Social Work degree in social work, both from Wayne State University in Detroit.
Sister Mary ministered 30 years in education in Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach, Florida; Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, including two years as principal at the Colegio Santo Domingo; and East Detroit and Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan. She later served 21 years as a psychiatric social worker at Macomb County Community Mental Health in Mount Clemens, Michigan. Sister became a resident of the Dominican Life Center in 2019.
Sister was preceded in death by her parents and a cousin, Sister John Dominic Hatfield, an Adrian Dominican Sister. She is survived by her sister, Jane Emanoil (Ronald), other loving family and her Adrian Dominican Sisters.
A Funeral Mass was offered in St. Catherine Chapel at 4:00 pm Tuesday, February 18, 2025. Prayers of Committal will be held in the Congregation Cemetery. Memorial gifts may be made to Adrian Dominican Sisters, 1257 East Siena Heights Drive, Adrian, MI, 49221.
Funeral arrangements are being handled by Anderson-Marry Funeral Home, Adrian.
Sister ministered in Michigan 44 years:
- St. Basil, East Detroit (1965-68): Elementary Teacher
- St. Paul, Grosse Pointe Farms (1968-72): Elementary Teacher
- St. Paul, Grosse Pointe Farms (1972-88): Elementary Teacher
- Macomb Co. Community Mental Health, Mount Clemens (1980-2011): Psychiatric Social Worker
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