Sister Virginia (Virginia Katherine) Delaney died on December 28, 2020 at Seton Residence in Evansville, Indiana. Sister Virginia was born on September 4, 1931 in Natchez, Mississippi and was one of four children of Marcus James and Mary Katherine (Gilbert) Delaney. She graduated from St. Joseph Catholic High School (Cathedral School) in Natchez in 1949 and entered the Daughters of Charity in St. Louis, Missouri the same year.
After initial formation and earning a B.S. degree in Nursing from Marillac College in St. Louis (1961), Sister Virginia served in health ministry as a Nurse Supervisor at Providence Hospital in Mobile, Alabama and St. Paul Hospital in Dallas, Texas. She received an M.S. degree in Public Health Nursing from Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan (1968) and an M.A. degree in Theological Studies from Springhill College in Jackson, Mississippi (1988). Sister was a Public Health Nurse at St. Vincent Hospital in Birmingham, Alabama; Charity Hospital in New Orleans, Louisiana; St. Mary’s Medical Center in Saginaw, Michigan; and for the County Health Department in Selma, Alabama. She also served as a nurse at Marillac Social Center in Chicago and as a teacher at Loyola University in Chicago and Alcorn State University in Natchez, Mississippi. In 1988, Sister Virginia began her ministry in Mission Integration at St. Vincent Hospital in Birmingham and as Director of Mission Services at the former Mater Dei Provincialate until she moved to Seton Residence to serve in the Ministry of Prayer.
Sister Virginia was buried in St. Joseph Cemetery in Evansville and a memorial Mass will take place at a later date. Sister was preceded in death by her parents; her sister, Merle McLain; and her brother, Leo Delaney. She is survived by her sister Mary Gunning; nieces and nephews; her Sisters in Community; and many friends.