North Country Catholic Newspaper

Sister Helen Hurley died Dec. 30

January 7, 2026

A Funeral Mass for Sister Helen Hurley, a Dominican, was celebrated Dec. 30 at St. Clara Chapel, Sinsinawa, Wisconsin.

Burial followed in St. Clara Cemetery.

Sister Helen died Dec. 18, 2025, at St. Dominic Villa, Hazel Green, Wisconsin.  

She was born Sept. 2, 1936, to Francis “Frank” and Mae (Peterson) Hurley in Green Bay, Wisconsin. She made profession with the Dominican Sisters of Sinsinawa in 1956 and received the religious name Sister Marcellus. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education from Edgewood College, Madison, Wisconsin, and her Master of Science in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.       

Sister Helen’s ministry was dedicated to teaching. In Illinois, she taught at St. Patrick School, Lemont, and St. Richard School, Chicago. In Wisconsin, she taught at St. Mary School, Appleton; St. Thomas Aquinas School, Milwaukee; and St. Jerome School, Columbus. She was director of religious education at St. Patrick Parish, Green Bay. Sister Helen was an associate professor in early childhood education at Edgewood College. She served as pastoral associate at St. Kilian Parish, Hartford, and at St. Olaf Parish where she also served as director of religious education, DeForest. She was assistant prioress at the Dominican Motherhouse, Sinsinawa Mound. Elsewhere, she served as teacher at All Saints School, Los Angeles, California; physical therapist at St. Dominic Villa, Dubuque, Iowa; principal at St. John Vianney School, Spokane, Washington; and pastoral administrator at St. Helen Parish, Malone, New York She brought a spirit of cooperation and community to every place she ministered.

Sister Helen was preceded in death by her parents; sisters Mary Becker, Theresa Rose Hurley, Alice Wall, Katy Kyles, Edith Jonet, and Sally Clarksen; and brothers Eugene, Maurice, and David Hurley.

She is survived by nieces, nephews, and her Dominican Sisters. Memorials may be made to the Dominican Sisters of Sinsinawa, 585 County Road Z, Sinsinawa, Wisconsin, or given online at sinsinawa.org/donate.    

Arrangements were through Miller Funeral Home.