Sister Frances Hewitt, 98, formerly Sister Mary Ambrose, died April 18 at McAuley Hall Health Care Center in Watchung.
Born in Atlantic City in 1919, she attended Our Lady, Star of the Sea Elementary School, before graduating from Holy Spirit High School in 1936.
Both schools were staffed by Sisters of Mercy. She longed to join their numbers and was especially encouraged by Sister Mary Leo, her teacher at Our Lady, Star of the Sea. In 1937, Sister received the habit, and the name Sister Mary Ambrose.
After earning degrees in mathematics at Georgian Court College (Lakewood) and Villanova University (Philadelphia), she began teaching in elementary and high schools in New Jersey, including Saint Mary School, Camden (1937-38); Camden Catholic, Camden (1940-41), and her alma mater Holy Spirit (1969-70).
Beginning in 1988, and continuing until 1997, Sister was a math tutor at Saint Augustine School in Ocean City.
She closed her ministry circle where she began her own education, Our Lady, Star of the Sea, teaching from 1997 until her retirement in 2008, to Mount Saint Mary. She spent her last days at McAuley Hall Health Care Center.
An enthusiastic traveler, Sister Frances toured the United States, Canada and Europe.
She is predeceased by her parents, John and Margaret Hewitt; her sister, Helen Battistini; and brother, Msgr. Bernard Hewitt of the Diocese of Camden. She is survived by a nephew, David Battistini, his wife, Sue, and their family.
A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on April 21 at Our Lady, Star of the Sea in Atlantic City. Burial was in Laurel Memorial Park, Egg Harbor Township. Memorial donations may be made to the Sisters of Mercy, Mid-Atlantic Community, 1645 Highway 22 West, Watchung, NJ 07069.
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