Sister M. Davida Dunne, RSM

Dunne RSM, Sister Mary Davida, (born Mary Louise), a Sister of Mercy for 70 years died at Catholic Memorial Home in Fall River on Tuesday, August 16, 2022.  She was born in Fall River, the daughter of David and Mary (Kearns) Dunne.  She was preceded in death by her brothers: David, Owen, Paul, and Joseph.  She is survived by many nieces and nephews.

Davida entered the Sisters of Mercy in 1951 where she earned a Masters in Special Education.  She served as part of the faculty of St. Maurice School in Potomac, Maryland, that introduced outstanding practices in the ministry of special education. Here Davida began a life-long delight with working with students. Davida returned to Fall River where she worked for years in special education at Nazareth Hall, Fall River.  She was noted for her creativity in designing programs to interest and educate her students.  While at Nazareth she lived at St. Vincent Home where she interacted with the children for whom this was home.  When Nazareth closed, she taught at St. Peter and Paul parish school.

After retiring from school, Davida worked in parish ministry at St Peter and Paul parish.  Among her services was conducting the burial prayers at the cemetery for funerals.  Again, it was the quiet understanding of this prayerful woman that brought comfort to those who grieved.  Like everything she had done in her ministries centered in God, she lived her motto of “Love serves.”

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, August 23, 2022, at St. Stanislaus Church, 36 Rockland Street, Fall River.  Visitation will be at 9:30 a.m. with a Mercy Prayer Service at 10:15 a.m. Interment will be in St. Patrick Cemetery, Fall River.

In place of flowers, contributions may be made to the Sisters of Mercy, 15 Highland View Road, Cumberland, RI, 02864.  www.sistersofmercy.org

Information and condolences please visit www.galloglyfuneralhome.com

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