Sister Therese Marie Sullivan died Dec. 7, 2015, in the St. Mary Center in Buffalo. She was 87.

The former Eileen Sullivan was born March 18, 1928, in Lowell, Mass., to James and Eileen Sullivan. She joined the Sisters of St. Mary of Namur in 1949, professed vows that year, and attended Mount St. Joseph College in Cincinnati, where she received a bachelor's degree in education.

During her ministry, Sister Therese Marie taught elementary school at St. John the Baptist School and St. Paul in Kenmore, as well as high school at Mount St. Mary Academy in Kenmore. Outside of the Buffalo area, she also served elementary school students at a school in her hometown of Lowell.

Since Sister Therese Marie was afflicted with polio as a child, this limited her mobility in her later life. As her health deteriorated, she took positions involving less physical work, including helping hospital patients with art and craft projects, offering piano and guitar lessons and serving in Eucharistic ministry. After she was no longer physically able to drive, she started a phone ministry where she prayed with others on the phone.

Sister Therese Marie is survived by two brothers, Harold (Eileen) and Raymond (Lillian); a sister-in-law, Alice Sullivan, and her siblings' families.

A funeral Mass was held for Sister Therese Marie at St. Mary Center Chapel in Buffalo.