Sr. Elizabeth Dougherty | Educator, librarian, 96

Sister Elizabeth Dougherty, 96, an educator and librarian, died of heart failure Saturday at Holy Child Center in Rosemont.

In 1931, Sister Elizabeth was a member of the first graduating class at West Philadelphia Catholic High School for Girls. A year later, she entered the convent of the Sisters of the Holy Child, and in 1940 professed her final vows. For years she was known by her religious name, Mother Mary Edith.

Sister Elizabeth earned a bachelor's degree in education and a master's degree in library science from Villanova University.

She taught in elementary and secondary schools in Philadelphia and Delaware County and in Massachusetts, New York and Illinois before becoming librarian at Hallahan High School in Philadelphia in 1974. She was later a librarian at St. Gabriel's Hall in Phoenixville. From 1979 to 1989, she was an indexer for the Catholic Library Association in Haverford. Then, for nine years, she was a librarian at Rosemont College.

After retiring in 1998, she helped the more infirm sisters with their correspondence. She was very organized, the nuns said, and had addressed her cards and wrapped her holiday gifts for this Christmas.

Sister Elizabeth is survived by nine nieces and 10 nephews.

A Funeral Mass will be said at 11 a.m. tomorrow at New Sharon Chapel, 1341 Montgomery Ave., Rosemont. Friends may call at 10 a.m. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery in West Conshohocken.