Sister Peg Hynes spent the last 16 years of her life working as executive director at Heart of Camden Inc., helping the area’s residents find affordable homes, buy Christmas gifts for their children, and revitalize their lives.
For the previous 30 years, she was an educator in Philadelphia Catholic schools.
Born in June 1933 in Philadelphia, the second of five daughters of Irish immigrant parents, Margaret Mary Hynes entered the Sisters of St. Joseph religious community in 1954.
She became executive director at Heart of Camden Inc., a ministry of Sacred Heart Church in Camden, when she was 53. She earned the respect of everyone from church leaders and parishioners to politicians, for her role in organizing fundraisers, writing grant proposals, running a thrift shop, and sponsoring a child at Sacred Heart.
Although she was honored many times for her work Sister Peg shrugged it off. She was a lover of Irish dancing, a fan of the Philadelphia Phillies and a breast cancer survivor.
On the night of Dec. 20, 2002, after a day that included preparing 1,000 Christmas baskets for the needy, Sister Peg was riding in a car with friends in Cherry Hill. Their vehicle was struck by another car and, as a result of her injuries, Sister Peg died. She was 69.
Heart of Camden, Inc. began a Sister Peg Hynes Memorial Scholarship Fund, which helps Sacred Heart students attend Catholic high schools. On May 25, Heart of Camden is holding the Sister Peg Hynes Memorial Classic Golf Tournament. For information, email Helene Pierson, hpierson@heartofcamden.org
Researched by Peter G. Sánchez
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