Norfolk City Virginia USGenWeb Archives Obituaries.....Lacy, Sister Claire April 29, 1909
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Robert Woolfitt http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00034.html#0008401 June 17, 2023, 1:15 pm

Virginian-Pilot  April 30, 1909
With the death of Sister Mary Claire, which occurred at Craney Island yesterday 
morning, came sadness into many homes in Norfolk, but consolation from the fact 
that she died a martyr to the work of caring for little homeless tots given into 
her and other Sisters of Charity’s care in Norfolk.
Less than three weeks ago, Genevieve Pampell, a little girl not yet eight years 
old, arrived at St. Mary’s orphan asylum from Frederick, Md. She was alone in 
the world, except for a few distant relatives, who sent her to Norfolk to be 
taken care of by the kind Sisters of Charity in charge of the asylum, where 
sixty little orphans are now being cared for.
Little Genevieve was at the asylum but a few days when she was taken sick. 
Sister Claire nursed her day after day. The little sufferer finally showed signs 
of being afflicted with smallpox and the local authorities had her sent to 
Craney Island. The other inmates of the asylum were vaccinated, including Sister 
Claire.
Following the removal of little Genevieve, Sister Claire was taken ill and last 
Sunday she was sent to the detention camp at Craney Island suffering from the 
same disease that the little girl undoubtedly brought with her to the asylum 
from her home in Maryland.
Sister Claire, not strong at her best, showed symptoms from the beginning that 
the doctors feared would cause her death, and no hope was held out for her 
recovery from the day she was moved from the asylum.
With Sister Claire went Sisters Lucia and Loretta to Craney Island, and all 
during the illness of Sister Claire, her two faithful assistants watched by her 
bedside day and night. They, too, braved the dangers of taking the disease that 
they might be with Sister Claire to administer to her every want. They are still 
at Craney Island, but show no symptoms of having contracted the dreadful 
disease. With the two Sisters went Miss Mabel J. Cooney, a trained nurse, whose 
gentle ministrations eased the agony of the martyr Sister’s dying hours.
Sister Claire’s devotion to the little homeless orphan excited the admiration of 
the local health authorities when the facts were made known, and it is said that 
when the good woman was taken from the asylum last Sunday, even the eyes of 
those accustomed to such sights were bedimmed with tears when the wagon drove 
away from the building on its way to the pier.
Sister Claire, before she took the vow of Sisterhood, was Miss Mary Lacy of 
Chicago. Her mother died not so very long ago, and her brother, too, is dead. It 
is said that she has no near relatives, but is well connected by family ties in 
the Windy City of the West. Sister Claire was about 47 years old and has been at 
St. Mary’s asylum for many years.
Many of Norfolk’s young women, some now married, were pupils in Sister Claire’s 
room at St. Mary’s Girl’s Academy.
Sister Claire was one of the teachers in the higher grades of the girls’ school 
and was considered a very intelligent and cultured woman. Her pupils were 
devoted to her, Catholic and non-Catholic alike. The inquiries made at the 
health department since it became known that she was ill at Craney Island, were 
very numerous, proving her great popularity among the residents of Norfolk. Her 
body was buried in St. Mary’s cemetery yesterday.
It is the belief of the health authorities that little Genevieve Pampell brought 
the dread disease that caused Sister Claire’s death from Frederick with her. She 
was the only one at the asylum about long enough for the disease to develop. She 
is now improving and will recover.
St. Mary’s school for girls has been closed since the removal of the two 
patients to Craney Island. The principal source of revenue for the care of the 
sixty little orphans now at the asylum was from the money received for tuition 
at the school.
Various members of St. Mary’s congregation are now soliciting funds to help care 
for the little orphans, and it is expected that, when the facts become generally 
known, there will be a universal response from the charitably-inclined to assist 
the little ones.





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