Sister Mary Walz, a Sister of St. Joseph, died Aug. 24, 2015, in Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo after fighting leukemia for 18 years. She was 72 years old.

She was born Oct. 1, 1942, in Buffalo to Carl and Mary (Clary) Walz. She joined the Sisters of St. Joseph in 1961 and pronounced final vows in 1969. She received a bachelor's degree in education from Medaille College in Buffalo in 1967 and a master's degree, also in education, from Buffalo State College in 1974.

Sister Mary taught at diocesan elementary schools, including St. Patrick in Java Center and Cathedral School and Medaille Campus School in Buffalo, from 1966 to 1973. She served for 25 years at Sacred Heart School in Niagara Falls as a reading coordinator, assistant principal and principal.

She went on sabbatical from 1998-99, after which she served as coordinator of human services at the Sisters of St. Joseph's Claremount assisted living facility in Clarence. Sister Mary retired in 2014, after which she served in hospitality at the sisters' Clarence residence, where she lived until her death.

Sister Mary is survived by cousins Mary Lou Chappell, Mary (Carl) Ryan and Phyllis (Bill) Ort.

A funeral Mass was held in the chapel of the Sisters of St. Joseph Residence in Clarence, after which Sister Mary was buried in the Sisters' Section of Forest Lawn Cemetery in Buffalo.