Sister Anne Patricia Clancy, CSJ

We gather today to remember and give thanks for the life of Sister Anne Patricia Clancey.
Anne was the only child of her loving parents, Elsie who hailed from County Caven,
Ireland, and her Brooklynite father, Joseph Clancy. She attended Saint Ephrem’s
school in Brooklyn, graduated from Saint Savior’s High School in 1948, and then
four years later, in 1952, received a BA degree in Chemistry from Saint Joseph’s
College. A year passed before Anne entered the Sisters of Saint Joseph, in September 1953,
and for the next 72 years was a woman of prayer, and model of graciousness, hospitality, and class.
Until her retirement in 2005, Anne dedicated her entire life to education. After a few
years teaching elementary school, she pursued a Masters in Chemistry from
Fordham University and then went on to teach Biology and Chemistry at Bishop
Kearney, Stella Maris, and Saint Angela Hall High schools. By 1974, it was evident
to all that Anne had administrative skills that could be put to good use. So in 1974
she was appointed Assistant Principal, at Fontbonne Hall Academy serving in that
role for the next fourteen years. During that time, she completed a Master’s degree in Administration
and Supervision, and, in 1988 she was appointed principal of Fontbonne, a service she would joyfully
and faithfully render for the next seventeen years.
All totaled, Anne spent 31 years at Fontbonne Hall Academy where faculty who
served under her leadership recall her as a consummate professional who showed
respectful regard for all. At the news of her death, alumnae postings on social media
were full of praise for Anne whom they described as kind, caring, and wise. Perhaps
the best comment of all was this: “Sister Anne was a tough cookie who had the
highest aspirations for every young woman who entered her care.”
Long before we Sisters of St. Joseph described our educational mission as “empowering young women”
Sister Anne Clancy was doing that. She was a woman ahead of her time!

Thank you, Sister Anne, for all your years of untiring service. Rest now in the Lord,
united with your parents and all those you loved. Watch over all of us who were
blessed to know you.
This reflection was written by Gilda King and Carol Fell, two dear colleagues of S. Anne Clancy at
Fontbonne Halll Academy who remained her lifelong friends.

Having worked at Fontbonne with Sister Anne for many years, we came to know her well, both professionally and personally. As young teachers, she served as our mentor, modeling for us how to grow in our profession. In particular, she allowed us many opportunities to develop our potential. Additionally, she encouraged her entire faculty to continue their education to expand their expertise.
She would celebrate the accomplishments of others, never taking any credit for herself. She fostered a genuine camaraderie among the faculty and staff and encouraged a sense of community that kept Fontbonne thriving, full of spirit and dedication.
On a larger scale, the Bay Ridge community recognized that Sister Anne had established a premiere school for young women. She expanded the curriculum and provided state-of-the-art facilities, that were impressive at the time. This enabled Fontbonne to enjoy a maximum enrollment and an
excellent reputation during her tenure.
Her impressive work ethic was apparent to everyone by her early arrival at school each morning. She would spend her day quietly, and sometimes not so quietly, tending to the job of an esteemed principal and friend.
While she recognized the need for new techniques and technology, she remained steeped in the charism and traditions of the Sisters of Saint Joseph and Fontbonne Hall Academy. She kept these tenets always in the forefront of her decisions and in her heart.
Like every successful administrator, Sister Anne supported and attended every school event. She became well-known and appreciated by the parents and the community at large. This was evidenced when she was chosen to be the Grand Marshal of the Bay Ridge St. Patrick’s Day Parade.
For Sister Anne, it was not all work and no play! She enjoyed dinner with friends, an occasional Dewars and water, and summer vacations with her dear friend Maureen.
After her retirement from Fontbonne, she resided at the Stella Maris Convent and accepted that re-location with grace and gratitude.

Sister Anne will be sorely missed, but never, ever forgotten.
And so, as Sister Anne would always sign her principal letters, we say
God bless you now and always.
We love you.

Sister Anne Patricia Clancy, CSJ, the former Sister Joseph Marian, died on March 26, 2025 in the 72nd year of her religious life.