Sister Elizabeth Bagen, GNSH (1935-2017)

Tue, Sep 12th 2017 09:55 am

Sister Elizabeth "Betty" Bagen, GNSH, formerly Sister Daniel Marie, died Sept. 1, 2017. She was 81.

The former Margaret Elizabeth Bagen was born Sept. 10, 1935, in Buffalo, to Daniel T. and Margaret (Jackson) Bagen. She joined the Grey Nuns of the Sacred Heart in 1954.

Sister Betty received a bachelor's degree in education from D'Youville College in Buffalo, a master's degree in theology from Villanova University in Pennsylvania and a master's degree in pastoral ministry from Iona College in New Rochelle. For five years, she taught elementary school at Holy Angels School in Buffalo and in Atlanta and Philadelphia.

From 1968-71, Sister Betty served at D'Youville College as a teacher of theology and director of residents. She was elected to congregational leadership of the Grey Nuns in 1971 and 2003. She was mistress of postulants for incoming Grey Nuns and served as the order's assistant mistress of novices for six years.

In 1975, she began serving Catholic Charities in the Diocese of Allentown, Pa., where she provided pastoral ministry for the elderly. After moving to the state of Virginia, Sister Betty served for 10 years at St. Andrew Parish in Roanoke, and for 11 years as pastoral coordinator at Resurrection Parish in Moneta.

Sister Betty retired to the Grey Nuns' motherhouse in Yardley, Pa., in 2008. In 2015, she began living at the Magnificat Center of the Holy Redeemer Sisters, where she stayed until her death.

She is survived by a sister-in-law and several nieces and nephews.

A funeral Mass was held in the Holy Redeemer Sisters Chapel in Huntingdon Valley, Pa., with burial in Resurrection Cemetery in Bensalem, Pa.