Sister Therese Marie’s Obituary Sister Therese Marie Kodz, 75, a Felician Sister for 57 years, died in Erie County Medical Center, Buffalo, New York, on December 10, 2018. The former Mary Kodz was born on June 23, 1943, in Utica, New York. She belonged to St. Mary’s Parish, New York Mills, New York.
She entered the Buffalo Province of the Felician Sisters on July 2, 1961 and professed perpetual vows on August 3, 1969. After graduating from the Utica Catholic Academy, Utica, New York, she furthered her education at Villa Maria College of Buffalo with an Associate in Applied Sciences degree, at Medaille College in Buffalo, New York, with a Bachelor of Science in Education degree and at State University of New York College in Buffalo with a Master of Science in Education degree. Sister Therese Marie began her teaching ministry in the Diocese of Buffalo.
She taught at St. Josaphat and St. Stanislaus Schools in Buffalo and Holy Spirit School in North Collins, New York. In 1968, she continued serving as an elementary school teacher in the Diocese of Syracuse at Sacred Heart Elementary School. She was known to be an excellent Reading teacher.
Her ministry extended to the Diocese of Ogdensburg in 1972 when she taught and served as principal at St. Mary School in Canton, New York, for six years. She also taught and served as Reading Coordinator at St. Peter School, Lowville, New York. She returned to the Diocese of Syracuse in 1982 and was engaged in teaching ministries within this diocese until 2015.
Sister Therese Marie served as principal at St. Stanislaus Kostka School, Binghamton, New York, and Transfiguration School in Rome, New York. At St. Mary School in New York Mills, New York, she taught Grade 5 and served as Assistant Principal. Her last years of teaching were at Holy Trinity School, St. Peter School and Notre Dame elementary School in Utica, New York, where she taught on the intermediate level with a focus on Math.
Sister Therese Marie had an excellent rapport with her students and had a gift of imparting the material to them. Because of illness, Sister Therese Marie moved to the Immaculate Heart of Mary Convent in Buffalo, New York on August 4, 2015. Several months later, on October 19, 2015, she became a patient in Blessed Mary Angela Care Center, She was an active participant at the Care Center and frequently reached out to listen and encourage other patients who were in pain.
When writing about her 50th Jubilee, she expressed, “This jubilee celebration is special because I stand in awe that Christ chose to walk by my side and held my hand each day as I ministered to his people. He never gave up on me and I never gave up on him…even in the most trying of times”. Sister Therese Marie is survived by her sister Rose (Stan) Wozniak, nephew, Adam Wozniak, nieces, Agatha Wozniak (James Blake) and Donnie Marie Kodz and cousins.
She was predeceased by her parents, Milton and Stephanie (Trzepacz) Kodz, and brother, Joseph Kodz. A wake for Sister Therese Marie will be held at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Central Convent (600 Doat Street, Cheektowaga, New York 14211) on Wednesday, December 12, 2018 from 2 to 5 p.m. An Evening Prayer Service will take place on Wednesday, at 5 p.m. in the Immaculate Heart of Mary Convent Chapel. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Thursday, December 13, 2018 at 10:00 a.m. in the Convent Chapel.
Burial will follow in St. Stanislaus Cemetery, Cheektowaga, New York. Memorials may be made to the Felician Sisters, 600 Doat Street, Cheektowaga, New York 14211.
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