Obituary of Sister Marcella Riggin

Sister Marcella Riggin, SCC

Sister of Christian Charity Marcella Riggin passed away on Friday, January 30, 2026, at Mallinckrodt Convent, Mendham, NJ. Anita Riggin was born in Baltimore, MD, on February 10, 1929.  She was one of the three children of Albert and Marcella (Bienlein) Riggin, having been predeceased by her twin sister, Sister Marcelene Riggin, SCC (2010) and their older sister, Eleanor Riggin (2015). After graduating from Holy Cross School, Baltimore, Anita continued her education at Immaculata High School, Mendham.

Together with her twin sister, Anita entered the candidacy at the Motherhouse on July 16, 1944. She was invested as a Sister on August 21, 1945, receiving the religious name Sister Marcella. Sister professed her First Vows on August 21, 1947, and her Perpetual Vows on August 20, 1953.

After teaching at St. Mary Assumption School, Pittston, PA, for one year, Sister Marcella began her nurse’s training at St. Michael’s Hospital School of Nursing, Newark, NJ. She earned her Diploma as a Registered Nurse in 1951, and was missioned to Divine Providence Hospital, Williamsport (a new SCC hospital at the time).

Sister furthered her studies, receiving Certification as a Nurse Anesthetist from Sacred Heart Hospital, Allentown, PA, in 1953. Sister Marcella was a Nurse Anesthetist at Divine Providence Hospital from 1953 to 1960.  Following a year of teaching at St. Joseph School, Jim Thorpe, PA, Sister gained further experience in anesthesiology at Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia, PA. When the SCC opened Holy Spirit Hospital in Camp Hill, PA, in 1963, Sister Marcella was its first Supervising Anesthetist.

In 1970, Sister was called to serve as a nurse in Rome, Italy, where the SCC General Administration resided and hosted guests in the tourist wing at Via Boccea. Upon her return to the United States in 1979, Sister Marcella served as IV Therapist at Divine Providence Hospital. After four years of caring for her mother during her final illness, Sister served as Director of Nursing at Holy Family Convent, Danville, PA, then in various capacities at Holy Spirit Hospital. From 1995 to 1997, she ministered as a nurse at the Motherhouse infirmary in Mendham.

From 1997 to 2001, Sister Marcella assisted in the school and convent at St. Nicholas, Jersey City, NJ., and from 2001 to 2004, she offered her services at Holy Family Convent, Danville. From 2004 to 2008, she served at Sacred Heart Convent, Wilmette, IL, before returning to Holy Family Convent, where she resided until May 2018, when she was among the Sisters who moved to the new Motherhouse in Mendham.  Sister Marcella continued to be of service wherever possible and was also part of the ministry of prayer and presence.  In 2025, Sister was very happy to celebrate her 80^th anniversary as a Sister of Christian Charity!

Sister Marcella is survived by the Sisters of Christian Charity and several extended family members, including cousins and their families.  She was predeceased by her parents and her two sisters.

Visitation will be held in the Chapel of Mary Immaculate at the Motherhouse in Mendham on Wednesday, February 4 at 1:30 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 Thursday, February 5 at 10:30 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 Marcella Riggin to the Sisters of Christian Charity, 350 Bernardsville Road, Mendham, NJ 07945.