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1926 Ruth Esther Sherman


Born: Nov. 28, 1926 at Afton, Chenango County, NY.

Died: July 25, 2018 at the Franciscan Convent in Syracuse, NY.


Her father was 1888 Schuyler VanRensselaer (Manville Henry) Sherman

Her mother was 1899 Bessie Ann Dutcher


Ruth became a catholic nun in 1946.  She served in this capacity for
many years in the 1950's and early 1960's in Hawaii, at that time a
U.S. territory and considered to be a "hardship tour".  She then 
served for many years in Peru.  She was transferred back to Hawaii 
later on and stayed there until her retirement in 2005, at which time
she was transferred to the convent in Syracuse.

She was involved in a very bad automobile accident in 1979 
which left her slightly disabled for the rest of her life.

Her autobiography is available here.

Her autobiography's outline is available here.

Here is a transcribed letter she wrote to family in July, 1999.

The town clerk's office of Afton, NY registered her birth on page 148,
as Ruth Esther Sherman.  She was later baptized Catholic as Teresa Ruth.
When she became a nun, she was given the name "Mary Clarence Sherman"
and was known by that name and as "Aunt Mary" for many years.

The photo below right was taken about 1946.