Obituary of Sr. Mary Stanislaus Surgoft

Sister of Christian Charity Mary Stanislaus Surgoft passed away on Wednesday May 8, 2024, at Mallinckrodt Convent, Mendham, New Jersey. Alice Frances Surgoft was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on October 27, 1922, to Benjamin and Alice (Zukowski) Surgoft. Alice entered the Sisters of Christian Charity on August 28, 1938, and began her Novitiate on August 21, 1939, receiving the name Sister Stanislaus. (She added “Mary” to her religious name later.) She professed her First Vows on August 21, 1941, and her Perpetual Vows on August 20, 1947.

Sister Mary Stanislaus was a graduate of Immaculata High School, Mendham. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in French and Master of Arts in French from Seton Hall University, South Orange, NJ. She also studied French at the American Institute for Foreign Study in Greenwich, CT, and Home Economics at Rivier College, Nashua, NH.

Sister’s 85 years as a Sister of Christian Charity were lovingly dedicated to elementary and secondary education in schools in Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey. In Pennsylvania, Sister taught in East Mauch Chunk, Allentown, Williamsport, Wilkes-Barre, Reading, Jim Thorpe and Hazleton. In New York and New Jersey, she taught in Brooklyn and Denville, respectively.

During her 36 combined years at Morris Catholic High School, Denville, Sister Mary Stanislaus served as teacher of French and Latin, Chair of the World Language Department and Moderator of the French and Latin Clubs and the French and Latin National Honor Societies. While teaching at Morris Catholic and Bishop Hafey High School (Hazleton), Sister made many trips to France and other European countries with her students for their cultural enrichment.  Additionally, students from both schools consistently scored well in the National French Language Contests through the years. After her retirement from Morris Catholic, the school named a portion of its campus driveway in her honor.

In 2012, Sister Mary Stanislaus ministered at the newly established Blessed Pauline House of Prayer in Jim Thorpe, PA, and in 2013, she joined the community at Holy Family Convent, Danville, PA.  In May 2018, Sister retired to the Motherhouse in Mendham, where she participated in a ministry of prayer and presence until her death at age 101. 

Sister Mary Stanislaus is survived by the Sisters of Christian Charity, her brother and sister-in-law, Martin and Bernadette Surgoft of Langhorne, PA, and her loving nieces, nephews and cousins.  She was predeceased by her parents, her brothers Edmond and Joseph, and her sister, Theresa Monroe.

Visitation will be held in the Chapel of Mary Immaculate at the Motherhouse in Mendham on Friday, May 10 from 1:30 – 4:30 p.m. with Vespers being prayed at 4:30 p.m. The Liturgy of Christian Burial will be celebrated at the Chapel of Mary Immaculate on Saturday, May 11 at 10 a.m., and will be livestreamed at sccus.org. Interment will follow at Holy Cross Cemetery on the grounds of the Motherhouse. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in memory of Sister Mary Stanislaus to the Sisters of Christian Charity, 350 Bernardsville Road, Mendham, NJ, 07945, or at sccus.org/donate.