Sister Helen Dolores Smith

Remembering
Sister Helen Dolores Smith, OP
Date of death: September 21, 2007

Sister Helen Dolores Smith, OP (formerly Mary Patricia Smith) of the Dominican Sisters of Hope, Newburgh, New York, died Friday, September 21, 2007 in the infirmary of the Dominican Sisters of Hope, Newburgh, New York. She was 88.

The daughter of the late Thomas Patrick and Elizabeth Dobbins Smith, she was born November 18, 1918 in Saranac, New York.

Sister Helen Dolores entered the novitiate of the Dominican Sisters of Newburgh on September 8, 1949, made her First Profession June 18, 1951 and Final Profession August 24, 1954. She earned a BS and MS in Education from Villanova University.

Ministry history:

Sister Helen Dolores taught elementary school at Guardian Angel School, New York NY, 1951-55 and at Regina Coelo School, Hyde Park NY, 1955-59. She taught business classes at Pope Pius XII Regional High School, 1959-66. She was principal at St. Therese School in Succasunna NJ, 1966-72. She taught elementary level at Holy Rosary School in Hawthorne NY, 1972-73; Academia San Jose, Guaynabo PR, 1973-78; and at St. Thomas School, Cornwall NY, 1978-79. She returned to the high school level and taught business classes at St. Joseph High School, Toms River NJ, 1979-81. She taught at St. Mary’s Elementary School in Poughkeepsie NY, 1981-85. She served as a part-time secretary at Msgr Donovan High School in Toms River NJ, 1985-99. In 1999 she moved to the Center of Hope in Newburgh, New York.