Feb. 14, 2018

Watertown – A Mass of Christian Burial for St. Joseph Sister Mary Victorine Brenon, 94, was held Feb. 7 at Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Church with Bishop Terry R. LaValley presiding.

Sister Victorine died Feb. 3 at the Sisters of St. Joseph Motherhouse. A spring burial will take place in Glenwood Cemetery.

She was born Catherine S. Brenon in Carthage Feb. 4, 1923, daughter of Florence McAvoy Brenon and Victor Brenon. 

She entered the Sisters of St. Joseph Sept. 8, 1941,  received the habit on April 7, 1942 and made final profession on July 1, 1947. Sister Victorine celebrated her 75th year in 2017.

A graduate of Augustinian Academy, Carthage, she received her Bachelor’s Degree from Marywood College in Scranton, Pennsylvania, and her Master’s Degree from Plattsburgh State Teachers College.  She also attended Michigan State, Regina Maria College, and the Gregorian Institute in Rome for further studies.

Sister Victorine taught at Our Lady of the Sacred Heart and Holy Family Schools in Watertown, Bishop Conroy in Ogdensburg, Champlain Academy in Port Henry, and St. Joseph’s in Dannemora.

After holding administrative positions in the Diocesan Schools, she served as major superior for her order from 1973 to 1981.

In 1983, Sister Victorine was called by the late Bishop Stanislaus J. Brzana to be the first woman to serve as secretary in the Matrimonial Tribunal.  She held that position until 1990.

From 1990 until 2000, she served as Pastoral Associate at St. James Parish in Carthage.

She retired from active ministry in 2000 and since then has resided at the Motherhouse in Watertown.

Besides her parents, she is predeceased by one brother, Francis J. Brenon and six sisters including two Sisters of St. Joseph, Sister Geraldine and Sister Rita Marie; Anna M. Scott, Rose Cartin, Dorothy Boughton, and Margaret Tracey.

She is survived by two brothers,  Victor Brenon of Midland, Texas and Robert Brenon of Henderson..
Online condolences to her family may be posted at www.cummingsfuneral.com.