Sister Patricia Ryan, RSM

Sister Patricia Ryan died at the age of 90 on September 14 in Colma. Born in Oakland to John and Kathleen Gill Ryan, Patricia and her younger sister Jacquelyn grew up in Burlingame. Following her graduation from Mercy High School, she completed a BA at San Francisco College for Women, worked as a research chemist, then entered the Sisters of Mercy in Burlingame in 1955. She professed vows in 1957 and was given the religious name Sister Mary Gertrude. She taught high school math, science, English, and religion in San Francisco, Burlingame and San Diego for 20 years and was honored to participate in a Shell Merit Fellowship at Stanford for High School Science Teachers in 1964. She earned an MS in Chemistry in 1968 from Seattle University.

Sister was early to raise awareness of environmental issues and modeled numerous ways to care for and honor earth from both a scientific and a spiritual perspective.

Sister Patricia served in community leadership as vice president then later as president, leading the community through times of transition. She also spent six years in parish ministry in San Bruno helping to form basic Christian Communities. During this time, she also served on the Archdiocesan Social Justice Committee and was part of a fact-finding mission to El Salvador.

In 1994 she became the first director of Mercy International Centre in Dublin establishing it as a welcoming place to all Mercy ministers and students seeking to honor and continue the work of the founding Sisters. She especially enjoyed being immersed in her Irish heritage.

A published poet, Sister Patricia taught others to use creative writing through a women’s writing group. She enjoyed playing the violin, especially for religious services and community celebrations. She also led retreats focused on contemplative prayer and ecospirituality.

She is survived by her sister Jacqueline Curran, nieces Mary, Peggy, Anne, Kathy, Patty, Shelley, and Jenny, nephews John, Tom, and Tim, a large extended family, and her loving community of Sisters of Mercy.

A vigil Service will be held at 7p.m. Thursday, October 7, in the main Mercy Convent Chapel, 2300 Adeline Drive, Burlingame, CA. A funeral Mass will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday, October 8 also in Mercy Convent Chapel. Burial will follow at Holy Cross Cemetery. IMPORTANT: You may attend either in person or by livestream. Those attending in person must bring proof of vaccination and wear a face mask. Information about how to order a ticket for in-person attendance and about livestreaming are available beginning Friday, October 1, on Mercy Center’s website (www. mercy-center.org), click on MEMORIALS. Memorial gifts may be made to the Sisters of Mercy, 2300 Adeline Drive, Burlingame, CA 94010