Sister Mary David Rapnicki died peacefully on Jan. 9, 2020, at St. Francis Park, Hamburg in the 88th year of life and the 70th year of religious life.

Sister David was born on Oct. 1, 1931, in Detroit, to John and Julia (nee Maksimowicz) Rapnicki.  she is one of four sisters who joined the religious life.

On Jan. 5, 1949, Sister David  became a postulant with the Franciscan Sisters of St. Joseph. On July 19, 1953, she professed her final vows.

Sister Mary David received her master's degree at Marygove College in Detroit. For over 40 years, including 19 years as a school administrator, Sister David served as an educator in several states where the sisters ministered. In New York state, she taught at St. Hyacinth, Auburn; Corpus Christi, Buffalo; and St. Mary's of the Lake, Hamburg. She also taught at St. Casimir, Baltimore; St. Sebastian, Dearborn Heights, Mich.; Daniel O'Sullivan Model School, Flint, Mich., and St. Mary, Queen of Angels, Swartz Creek, Mich. and Holy Rosary of Pompeii, Kenosha, Wis. She served as a school administrator at several of the schools in which she had previously taught including St. Sebastian, St. Hyacinth. Sister David was also principal at St. Stanislaus in Baltimore, St. Joseph in North Tonawanda, and St. Hedwig Elementary in Detroit. Sister David completed her years of active ministry by serving in bereavement ministry at Holy Rosary of Pompeii Parish before joining her sisters in the Health Care community in Hamburg.

It was early in her life that she realized that she would follow in the footsteps of her two older sisters, Sister Adrienne and Sister Bertina, and join the Franciscan Sisters of St. Joseph. Sister David always had a soft spot for those who did not experience the family love that she had. Throughout her life, she made every effort to "protect" her little sister, Sister Roseanne.

Sister David is survived by her sister, Sister M. Bertina, FSSJ. 

A funeral Mass was held in the sisters' chapel on Jan. 13. Burial followed at St. Stanislaus Cemetery in Cheektowaga.