Sister Patricia Friel, OSF, died Sept. 3, 2016, at St. Elizabeth Motherhouse in Allegany. She was 82.

Patricia C. Friel was born March 17, 1934, to Francis and Anna (Thill) Friel of Staten Island. She joined the Congregation of the Franciscan Sisters of Allegany at St. Elizabeth Motherhouse in 1957 and professed final vows in 1964.

She received a bachelor of science degree in nursing from St. John's University in Jamaica, N.Y., in 1964, and went on to obtain a master's degree in the same field of study from the University of Florida in Gainesville in 1968. Sister Patricia also studied management at Tulane University in Louisiana in 1969.  

Sister Patricia was a nurse and served as associate director of nursing services at St. Mary's Hospital in West Palm Beach, Fla. Upon returning to Western New York, she was director of nursing at St. Francis Hospital in Olean and an infirmary nurse at St. Elizabeth Motherhouse. She also served in Albany and as assistant director of the Bureau of Hospital Nursing Services for the New York state health department.

In 1979, she began serving as a consultant for New York State Emergency and Disaster Services, later serving in administrative capacities at several parishes and hospitals in Florida. She was an administrator, executive vice president and CEO of St. Mary's Hospital in West Palm Beach. In the Diocese of Buffalo, she served at St. John Church in Olean and as an assistant administrator at her motherhouse.

Sister Patricia returned to St. Elizabeth Motherhouse in 2001 and retired from active service in 2007.

She is survived by several nieces.

A funeral Mass was held in the chapel of St. Elizabeth Motherhouse, with burial in St. Bonaventure Cemetery, also in Allegany.