Sister Margaret Mary O'Farrell, O.P.

Obituary Sister Meg O'Farrell, 91, a Dominican Sister of Tacoma, died peacefully on January 18, 2017 at St. Joseph Residence in Seattle. She was surrounded by her sisters, the SJR community and staff. While listening to Gregorian chant which she loved, she quietly breathed her last and entered Eternal Life. Sister Meg was born May 1, 1925 in Rush, County Dublin, Ireland to Valentine and Anne (Ryan) O'Farrell. She is predeceased by her parents and five brothers. She is survived by her sisters Mary (Cis) O'Connor and Joan O'Farrell, and her brother Bernard and her nieces and nephews. She entered the Dominican Sisters of Tacoma from Ireland and made her profession of vows on January 8, 1950. She received her Bachelor of Arts from Central Washington State College and a Masters' of Religious Education from Seattle University. In 2010 she celebrated her 60th jubilee of profession. Sister Meg's ministry spanned many years of teaching in the Seattle Archdiocese, including Seattle schools: Holy Rosary, St. Edward, Assumption, Our Lady of the Lake and St. John. She also taught at St. Mary, Centralia and Sacred Heart, Bellevue. Outside of the Archdiocese she taught at Lourdes Academy, Ellensburg and Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Bakersfield, CA. After 25 years of teaching, Sister Meg transitioned to Religious Education at St. Monica, Mercer Island and St. Thomas, Tukwila. She also served in parish ministry at St. Joseph, Issaquah and worked for two years with Sisters Anne Heger and Michele MacMillan with the South East Asian refugees at Mt. Virgin, Seattle. Before moving to St. Joseph Residence, Sister Meg lived at the Franciscan Apartments in Burien. In the letter of recommendation from her pastor before entering religious life, he indicated that she was a prayerful and happy person. These enduring qualities sustained Sister Meg throughout her life; she loved music, sharing prayer with others and a cup of tea with whoever came to visit! In her last years at St. Joseph Residence, she could be heard frequently saying "thank you" and "God bless you" to all she passed in the halls. In her own words, Sister Meg's best memories included her home in Ireland, coming to the United States to become a Tacoma Dominican Sister, experiencing the US culture with Sister Frances Cusack, her studies at Seattle University, her teaching days, the hot summer days of catechetical work in Eastern Washington, Gregorian high Masses with Msgr. Callahan at St. Edwards and in her later years the joy of working in parish ministry. The Vigil will be Sunday, January 29 at 6:30 PM and the Funeral Mass will be Monday, January 30 at 11:00 AM. Both services will be at St. Joseph Residence, 4800 37th Ave. SW, Seattle, WA 98126. Burial will be at Calvary Cemetery, Tacoma, on Monday, January 30 at 2:30 PM. Memorial donations may be made to the Dominican Sisters Retirement Fund, 935 Fawcett Ave., Tacoma, WA 98402. For online condolences and more information about Sister Meg, go to www.gaffneycares.com. Funeral arrangements under the direction of Gaffney Funeral Home 253-572-6003.