Evelyn Kane, RSCJ

Birth: September 3, 1921Profession: July 30, 1950Death: December 2, 2013

Religious of the Sacred Heart Evelyn Elizabeth Kane, educator, pastoral counselor and minister to migrant farm workers, died Monday, December 2, at Teresian House in Albany, New York. She will be remembered in a Mass of Christian Burial at 1:00 PM Wednesday, December 11, in the Teresian House Chapel in Albany. Visitation will be at Teresian House immediately before the Mass. Burial will be in the Sacred Heart cemetery at Kenwood.

The only daughter of Jasper T. and Loretta S. Kane, both deceased, she was born in Brooklyn, New York, on September 3, 1921. Her seven brothers preceded her in death including her twin, Herbert T. Kane, SJ and Jasper, Arthur, Edward, Charles, Robert and Harold Kane. She is survived by numerous nieces and nephews and great-nieces and great-nephews, who showed great love and devotion to “Aunt Ev,” whom they considered the family matriarch.

She entered the Society of the Sacred Heart in 1942 at Kenwood in Albany, New York, and made her final vows in 1950 at the Motherhouse in Rome. She is remembered with fond affection by her sisters in the Society of the Sacred Heart, alumnae, former colleagues and the staff at Teresian House who cared for her so lovingly in her final years.

A natural educator, Sister Kane’s teaching career began at Eden Hall Academy of the Sacred Heart in Philadelphia in 1945. In 1947, she moved to Newton Academy of the Sacred Heart in Newton, Massachusetts. From 1950-58, she taught at the Convent of the Sacred Heart (Lawrence Avenue) in Detroit, then at the Academy of the Sacred Heart in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, 1958-67. She served at Kenwood Convent of the Sacred Heart in Albany for two years before becoming provincial secretary for education for the New York Province of the Society of the Sacred Heart.

She returned to the classroom in 1970 at the Convent of the Sacred Heart, Greenwich and taught high school math for two decades. She loved her subject matter and was passionate about establishing a firm mathematics foundation for students as they began their high school studies.

Beginning in 1983, she served in pastoral ministry at St. Clement of Rome Parish in Stamford, Connecticut, visiting the homebound and sick of the parish. By 1990, her pastoral ministry had evolved and she also taught adult scripture classes at St. Clement, St. John’s in Darien, Connecticut and at the Convent of the Sacred Heart. She loved the opportunity to serve in a spiritual ministry and continued until her retirement in 2004.

Sister Kane dedicated many of her summers away from school in ministry to migrant farmworkers, in the dioceses of Saginaw, Michigan, Kalamazoo, Michigan and Raleigh, North Carolina.

Sister Kane approached everything she did with the heart of an educator. She was committed to serving the poor, especially immigrants. Perhaps reflecting her position as an only daughter among several sons, she loved games and spending time outdoors canoeing, backpacking and skiing. Her brilliant smile made her both approachable and endearing throughout her life.

After receiving a Bachelor of Arts in mathematics, with a minor in chemistry, from Notre Dame College of Staten Island, New York, Sister Kane earned a Master of Arts in education from the Manhattanville College Graduate Division, in Albany and a Master of Arts in mathematics from the University of Detroit in 1964.

Comments

Debbie Deland (not verified)

Sr. Kane

Fri, 2013-12-06 14:17

Sr. Kane put with me in 10th grade Geometry. As I recall, it was self-paced. My pace was do it all in the last few weeks. In reading her obituary, she epitomizes the direction our new Pope is taking the Church (interesting I say our Pope when I don't support the Catholic Church). Isn't it wonderful that she and the American nuns had the love and compassion focus without all the dogma! I admire the American Nun community. I just read "The Proof of Heaven". You shouldn't read it because it makes faith too easy. This book truly demonstrates the Science of heaven, no matter what faith you are. Sr. Kane should be remembered for her giving. I try hard to be a giver, not a taker ("Ishmael"), but have a lot more work to do. Sr. Kane had a long, giving, and loving life. She will always be here.

Felicia Value (not verified)

Sr. Kane

Fri, 2013-12-06 19:13

I passed Algebra I at CSH Greenwich after three agonizing years. Then I took Geometry and, to my amazement, found it easy and fun. Fortified with mistaken confidence, I enrolled in Sr. Kane's Algebra II/ Calculus class my senior year. What a disaster. Algebra again eluded all understanding. Sister Kane was patient and persistent, but within a few months she gave me a certain look and took me aside. We agreed (to my sweet relief) that I did not belong in Algebra II/ Calculus. I dropped out, and it did not appear on my transcript. Never did I feel that she was disappointed or thought less of me. She was kind and realistic: a great and rare combination. Sr. Kane, thanks for your your kindness to a floundering child of the Sacred Heart! Rest in peace.

Anne Hawthorn (not verified)

I have very fond memories of

Fri, 2013-12-06 20:10

I have very fond memories of Sister Kane in the classroom teaching Algebra in Greenwich circa 1985. Many, many years later I ended up teaching history at a high school in Manhattan and when I knew the students were going to math class I would tell them to put their "algabrains" on as Sister Kane told her students to do. This little phrase stayed with me for some reason and caused me to think of her quite often. I distinctly remember her how her face looked and I recall her kind manner. Sister Kane will be remembered. My sincere sympathies are extended to her family and the Sister of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Marie Rubino CSH '73 (not verified)

I have fond memories of

Fri, 2013-12-06 22:31

I have fond memories of Sister Kane, but most especially as a dear friend of my mother's who taught alongside her at CSH, Greenwich. My mother in the English dept, Sr Kane in Math. They were both about the same age and both from Brooklyn, but it was the strength of their religion, their love of CSH, and the fun humor they shared with each other that kept them forever-friends. Best wishes to the family.

Sheila Gray (not verified)

Sister Kane

Sat, 2013-12-07 09:07

Sr. Kane helped this poet struggle through MATH in the late 60's at CSH in Bloomfield Hills... Thank God she had such a great sense of humor!

Vicky Allen (not verified)

Evelyn Kane, RSCJ

Sat, 2013-12-07 19:53

I remember her so fondly from Greenwich. She made our world a better place. May she rest in peace and rise in glory.

Lilly Shiland S... (not verified)

Sister Kane

Sun, 2013-12-08 00:15

To this day, I still remember Sister Kane getting a kick out of the following math joke: Sister Kane: What did the sapling say when it grew up? me: I don't know, Sister Kane. What did the sapling say when it grew up? Sister Kane: It said 'Gee, I'm a tree!' (Geometry!) Followed by a big smile. My sophomore year (1973) at Convent of the Sacred Heart, I was sorely lacking in personal and academic confidence. Sister Kane invited me to be a 'helper' in her 8th grade algebra class, which as luck would have it was a free period. I loved the experience and gained a much better sense of who I was and how I could make a difference to others. Finally, late in the spring of senior year I was not prepared for a calculus quiz and decided to skip it in favor of sunbathing in back of the quonset hut (old basketball gym.) The look of disappointment on Sister Kane face has never left me. She cared so much and her caring has made me a better person ever since.

Katharine L. Kane (not verified)

Aunt Ev

Tue, 2013-12-10 15:35

Aunt Ev, always remembered my birthday, as well as she must have remembered the birthdays of her other neices and nephews. It was pure delight when I would open the card. God bless you, Aunt Ev.