Youngstown nun Sister Jerome Corcoran passes away

Sister Jerome Corcoran

A well-known Youngstown area nun Sister Jerome Corcoran passed away Sunday afternoon.

Sister Jerome served the community showing God's love by helping others for over 85 years.

Corcoran taught elementary, high school, and college students, and also worked with the poor.

From 1953 to 1963, she was the Supervisor of Education for the Diocese of Youngstown.

She graduated from Ursuline High School and has a Master's degree and Ph.D.

In 2013, the Ethnic Heritage Society of Youngstown presented Sister Jerome with a lifetime achievement award. She taught for 12 years in the area’s parochial schools, then for 36 years directed the Mill Creek Children’s Center, a preschool for children of lower-income working parents.

At age 96, she began a mission to help low-income families pay for food, clothing, and items for daily living.

"Bishop David J. Bonnar of the Diocese of Youngstown extends his deepest sympathies and prayers of support to the Ursuline Sisters on the death of Sister Jerome. In her many years of service in educating young men and women to their fullest potential. Sister Jerome has left a lasting imprint on the city," said Monsignor John Zuraw.

Patty Marsico, a close friend emphasized, "No matter the hardships, the challenges, and obstacles that stoof in Sister Jerome's way she was determined and successful to always make a difference in helping the poor and those who needed her in many other ways. She continued doing this until very recently when she took her last breath. Sister Jerome believed the key out of poverty was an education."

Marsico says Sister Jerome is loved by so many and is in the hearts and minds of all of us who were touched by her being in our lives.

Victoria Allen with the ICU Block Watch said, "Sister Jerome helped countless children and families. She held students accountable. Parents had to be a part of their children's education and success. Sister Jerome also started a foundation to help students go to college. She was an example of showing Christ's love to others."

The Ursuline Sisters of Youngstown posted on Facebook saying, "We have been surrounding her with prayer for the last two weeks. We trust she is now rejoicing with all the Holy Ones and her Loving God."

Sister Jerome was 105.

Funeral arrangements are pending.