Sister Anna Kessen, SSJ, died March 18, 2017, in the Sisters of St. Joseph Residence in Clarence.

She was born Jan. 9, 1923, in Coldwater, Ohio, to Martin and Elizabeth Kessen. She joined the Sisters of St. Joseph in 1941 and professed final vows in 1947.

She received a bachelor's degree in education from Mount St. Joseph Teachers' College, now Medaille College in Buffalo, and a master's degree in deaf education from Canisius College, also in Buffalo, in 1965.

In 1950, Sister Anna began serving at St. Mary's School for the Deaf in Buffalo. For 18 years, she provided services for 60 residential boys between the ages of 3 and 8. After this, she taught elementary school at St. Mary's for a total of 27 years.

Additionally, she was a pastoral worker for deaf parishioners at Our Lady Help of Christians Parish in Cheektowaga, providing American Sign Language translations at Masses. She also taught religious education classes and visited the ill in hospitals. She retired in 2000.

She is survived by nieces and nephews.

A funeral Mass was held at the Sisters of St. Joseph Residence.