Sister Rosemary Benson, OSF, a Franciscan Sister for 76 years who served parishes on the Southern Tier for many years, died March 1 in Mercy Nursing Facility at OLV, Lackawanna. She was 92.
Born in Buffalo, the youngest of three girls, she was the daughter of Thomas J. and Martha Kock Benson and grew up in Lackawanna.
She entered the Sisters of St. Francis in 1947, took the religious name of Sister Mary Martha and became a member of the Franciscan Missionary Sisters of the Divine Child.
She taught religious education, visited homes, took part in retreats and was a pastoral associate for more than 40 years in Allegany County in Angelica, Belmont, Belfast and Scio. She also had assignments in the Village of Cattaraugus, serving seven parishes in the early 1960s, as well as in Batavia, Rochester and Texas.
After the Missionary Sisters merged with the Franciscan Sisters of the Neumann Communities in 2004, she became a “minister of praise,” offering prayers for those who are disadvantaged and forgotten.
Survivors include many nieces and nephews.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered at 10:30 a.m. Thursday in Our Lady of Victory Basilica, 767 Ridge Road at South Park Avenue, Lackawanna.
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