Special Education Teacher

At the age of 98.

A Felician Sister for 79 years, died in the Blessed Mary Angela Care Center, on Tuesday, February 12, 2013. The former Rose Pawlak was born on February 22, 1914, in Morris Run, PA.  She entered the Immaculate Heart of Mary Province of the Felician Sisters in Buffalo, NY, on June 27, 1933, and professed perpetual vows on August 11, 1941.  She was a member of St. Casimir Parish in Elmira, NY.  She graduated from the Immaculate Heart of Mary Academy, Buffalo, NY, earned a Bachelor of Science in Primary Education degree from Villa Maria College, Erie, PA, and a Master of Science in Education from State University of New York College at Buffalo.

From the very onset of her life as a Felician Sister, Sister Adorata taught at the primary level. She taught at St. Adalbert and St. Casimir Schools in Buffalo and continued teaching at Holy Trinity School in Erie, PA, for 11 years. Returning to Buffalo, she taught Grade 3 for 8 years at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Home for Children. In addition to being a gifted teacher, she always displayed a personal interest in her students.

In 1956, Sister Adorata was involved in special education, teaching the mentally handicapped at the Cantalician Center for Learning in Buffalo for 3 years. She then taught in Catholic elementary schools in the Dioceses of Ogdensburg, Syracuse, and Buffalo. In 1965, she returned to the Cantalician Center where she taught special education once again, this time for 9 years. Returning to the Catholic elementary school, she served as the principal at Coronation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish in Buffalo for 3 years.

Holding a degree in special education, Sister Adorata became a consultant for the Diocese of Syracuse in their Special Religious Education Department in 1977, a position she held for 5 years. Having been involved in the development of the course of study for the mentally retarded in the Buffalo School system and beginning a course of study in communications for the retarded at the State University of New York in Buffalo, she was able to advise many on issues of the acceptance and integration of mentally retarded and developmentally disabled people.

Once again, Sister Adorata returned to the Catholic elementary school system in Buffalo in 1982 as a teacher. She was principal at St. Mary of the Angels School in Olean, NY, and St. Patrick's School in Salamanca, NY. She began to serve in parish ministry in 1993.

Sister Adorata became a member of St. Francis Residence Convent in 1997 where she remained actively involved in various activities. Because of her failing health, she became a patient in the Felician Sisters Health and Wellness Center, now known as the Blessed Mary Angela Care Center on September 10, 2004. During her 9 year stay as a patient, she is remembered for her kind and gentle presence to everyone.

Sister Mary Adorata is survived by her sister, Sister Mary Rosalma Pawlak, CSSF, together with nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her parents, the late Francis and Josephine (Wosicka) Pawlak, her brothers, Leo, Alzy, Joseph and Vincent Pawlak and her sisters, Martha Przygoda, Louise Lepkowski, Ann O'Herron, Lucy Pawlak and Stella Bush.

A wake for Sister Mary Adorata will be held at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Convent on Thursday, February 14 from 3-5 p.m.

An Evening Prayer Service will take place on Thursday at 5 p.m. in the Convent Chapel. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Friday, February 15, at 10 a.m.

Burial will follow in St. Stanislaus Cemetery, Cheektowaga, NY.