Sister Margarita you are so fondly thought of. You were at the centre of so many important events in my family’s lives and in the lives of the parish. Your gentleness, humour and perceptive presence are so much missed.

Sr. Margarita was my wonderful mentor as a young teacher in Stevenage in 1981. Her constant support, kindness and patience was for ever appreciated in my career that finished in August. I Will never forget her and she will always be in my prayers.

Sister Marguerite was a gentle and kind lady who always had time for anyone who needed her. Always quietly working in the background, she has had an enormous impact on so many lives. She will be sorely missed by so many, including my family. May she rest in peace.

You were always there with us, a quiet strength. Listening, encouraging, supporting. Always interested. Speaking up for us when we needed help, praying for us, working with us on a common mission.

We will miss you so much.

A gentle giant within St Joesph's parish community, who is sorely missed and remains forever in our hearts. Thank you for all your support and guidance over many years.

Absolute legend, the oil that kept the Parish running smoothly for decades. A team of people is now trying to fill her roles.
Strong, supportive and gently persuasive to recruit you to volunteer for roles you never dreamed you were able or worthy to do but she knew you could do it.
Always thinking of others, particularly the young families and the poor of the parish.
God bless you Sister in your new home.
Thoughts and prayers with your religious family and family

Sister Margarite was a major part of the backbone of St Joseph’s Parish and was hugely influential in the development of the parish community after she and Sisters Brendan and Fionnuala arrived in the parish in 1992. We owe a great debt of gratitude to her Congregation, the Sisters of Charity of Jesus and Mary, for their strong commitment to our parish over the years, which led them to an early purchase of the house in St Margaret Drive. The decision to move the church from Heathcote Road to our present location was not an easy one, but it was one which Margarite supported from the outset and she played a major role in developing the parish to its full potential after the move. She was a quiet but very influential member of the parish team and will be sorely missed, but her work will live on. May she rest in peace.

Sr. Margarite was the mother figure of our St Joseph's community - she was always there for us, to welcome, to comfort, to advise, to help and support. If you wanted something, your first port of call was Sr. Margarite! She quietly went about her day but had her finger firmly on the pulse of St Joseph’s. May she now rest in peace, while enjoying lots of chocolate and keeping an eye on us all!

If I ever got anything right during my time as Pastoral Assistant at St Joseph’s, Epsom, it was because I followed Sr Margarite’s advice. May the Holy Angels guide her now to her Eternal rest in the Father’s house.

Sr. Margarite touched the lives of many, including mine, with her dedication and service to God. With her passing, our parish has lost one of its cornerstones. I will miss her very much, but I know she will live on in our hearts forever. 

Rest in peace, Sister Margarite. Your kind heart, humility and gentle spirit are a rarity and you will be forever missed.

It is with sadness we heard of Sr Margarite’s passing. We have fond memories of her conversations with my late dad, as they were from the same county in Ireland and shared fun memories. Such a humble, helpful, tireless lady. A great loss to the people and church family that is St Joseph’s.

We will always remember St Margarite with affection and gratitude for her dedication to our parish of St Joseph's,
Linda and Tony Prince.

When I think of St Joseph's in Epsom, Sr. Margarite always comes to mind. My family were in the parish for 23 years before we moved out to West Sussex 4 years ago and still remember her kindness, friendly smile, unending energy and her ability to remember everyone. Sr. Margarite was the 'go to person' in the parish and she will have left a void that will be difficult to fill.

It was with great sadness and shock that I learned of Sr. Margarite’s death. Having known her since the early 1960’s I had the pleasure and good fortune of working with her in a variety of settings within our Congregation. It is in the community of the Sisters of Charity of Jesus and Mary that we are all called to the service of love. Our motto is Deus Caritas EST ie God is Love. In all my encounters with Sr. Margarita whether it was caring for Boarders out of school, attending Congregational meetings , Provincial meetings or Board of Management meetings she was one of a kind. She was open, genuine and had a profound sense of responsibility towards others and towards ourselves. She was always aware of the changing needs of the times and decisions were taken with this in mind. Sr. Margarite was one of the mature students of the late Fr. Tom Hamill at Mount Oliver “ who were keen to share the fresh air of our renewed Church “. How Providential it was that she found herself in St. Joseph’s Parish in Epsom with Canon Bill who appreciates the role of women in the Church. He facilitated Sr. Margarite’s role in building relationships between God and his people. Her kindness, thoughtfulness, compassion and integrity was appreciated by all the people, old and young that she worked with.
It was clear in recent times that Sr. Margarite was not only unwell but with faith in the God she loved and served so well was ready to embrace death and go to her Heavenly Home. Rest In Peace Margarite and thank you for all your help and support.

I knew this beautiful soul for 28 years. She was always there for me, caring about me when I was ill. She showed me what being a beautiful human being looked like and I will miss her quiet voice and her big heart.

I have only known Sister Margarite for a short while by comparison to others but from the moment I met her I was struck by the warmth of her welcome and the ease with which we became friends. Her kindness and generosity of spirit shines through all adversity and her smile is wonderful to behold! You will be greatly missed, young lady xx

I have known Sr. Margarite for many years, as a woman of prayer and reflection ,I got to know her more closely when we served on the SCJM Provincial Team in the 1990's she guided me along the away with her deep knowledge and love of our Congregation.The simplest task or indeed the most difficult was delivered with such respect ,dignity and love.
She had a lovely sense of humour and when I remember her it is always with a smile on my face as she always greeted me with the words "my friend"    I knew I had a friend who was there to support me and understood the difficulties of life.
She was a great letter writer and for sending the most appropriate card.
We all know how special Fr Bill and the people of Epsom were to her .
Margarite's family and the Kingdom of Kerry can be so proud of her.
Let me finish by thanking you Margarite for your friendship guidance and example and for remaining  true to yourself. May you rest in peace.
Kathleen O'Connor scjm Delvin ,Westmeath .,Ireland

I first came to know Sr. Margarite in 1964 when I joined the novitiate of the Sisters of Charity of Jesus and Mary at St Francis College Letchworth .
She guided me gently into the SCJM',s way of household chores and cleaning in a large community of 70 sisters and there were no short cuts allowed!! those who know me know how different we were. Margarite was a prayerful presence and a fount of knowledge, and she humbly shared her experience and expertise while endeavoring to bring out the best.
In the mid 2020,s I was privileged to serve on the then Provincial Team with Margarite , she was a diligent committed dedicated and loyal SCJM and was always encouraging and affirming . In one of her last letters letters to me she said " I was doing a good job and to leave the rest to God"
It was with sadness and shock that I learned of her untimely death ,she will leave a huge gap in the life of our SCJM Congregation and especially our Anglo Irish Region. May she be enfolded in the loving embrace of our
Compassionate and gentle God .
Ann Devine SCJM




   

It's so hard to put into words the very special person Sr Margarite was. She was humble and gentle and unobtrusive as she moved behind the scenes at St Joseph's but at the same time she was so strong and impacted so so many lives, and as such a huge presence. Aside from all the hundreds of Catechetic sessions , masses and parish activities, Sr Margarite was a friend to me and to our family. She quietly performed numerous acts of kindness over the years when we were struggling with a large young family . As the children grew she remained interested in them and their lives. She was not judgemental, always being genuinely delighted to see them. Margarite was so special, she would do something to help me , and yet made me feel I was doing her a favour. Margarite was an exemplary example of a Christian, always encouraging the best from others. She will always remain in our memories and our hearts. I will miss her very much.

My family will miss seeing Sr Margarite at church and her welcoming smiles. I can always see Sister Margarite working quietly in the background and never complaining about her own ailments. She was a true example of selflessness and upheld Catholic social teachings for the community benefit. She will be a hard act to follow. May she now have eternal rest with the Lord.

Sister Margarite was the most self effacing person I know and yet her achievements were huge. She as always there for anyone and everyone, in the church, in the office, at functions, tidying up, always the last one to leave. On top of that she always quietly dispensed such good advice as she was such a wise woman. She helped me and my children at various times with her kindness and they remember her very fondly. She'll be greatly missed by us all.

Sr Margarite was so supportive and generous of her time when I took on Pooh Corner. Between us we managed to cope with the huge increase in visitors and she always found the time to visit every session and participate in and enjoy our special celebrations.
On a personal note, her support and pride in my sons achievements kept me going through so many difficult times when I never believed there was an end in sight. She always told me he would do well and bless her, was so proud when he did!
Sister we will miss you and you deserve a very special place in heaven. With much love and fond memories

When I joined St Joseph’s Parish in November 2018 as Parish Secretary, Sr Margarite was my quiet guide, gentle mentor and a rock of strength in troubled times. She was the font of knowledge of everything there was to know about the parish life and each individual parishioner. She was always ready to help and assist without being intrusive. Her quiet yet assuring presence, kindness and guidance will be forever missed. Thank you for your beautiful example of living the Gospel every day, Sr Margarite.

My family & myself received so many great welcomes from Sister Margarite, when we came over from Ireland to visit my Aunt, Sister Fionnuala Byrne.
Sister Margarite will be missed by us all, Rest in Peace.
Mary Mather-Leahy
Ennis. Co. Clare.

Sr M was beautiful inside and outside… nothing was too much trouble for her… she was a living angel…and an inspiration to us all… I’m sure she is now with all the angels in Gods glory! She will be missed by everyone… a darling lady who was loved by all …