Sister Frances Whelan, OP, of the Dominican Sisters of Hope, who was one of the founders of the Dominican Sisters Home Health Agency in Hampton Bays, died on February 15 at home in the East Harlem section of New York City. She was 81.
The daughter of the late Joseph Arthur and Frances Claire (Stack) Whelan, she was born on June 18, 1933, in Duluth, Minnesota, and grew up in Shakopee, Minnesota.
Sister Fran entered the Dominican Sisters of the Sick Poor in September 1952 and made Final Profession in March 1957. She later received a bachelor’s degree in nursing, a master’s degree in social work and a master’s in theology. She also earned a certification in clinical pastoral education and in massage therapy.
She ministered in the Archdiocese of New York and Rockville Centre in nursing, pastoral care and social work. All of her ministries were among the sick poor.
In 1961, along with three other sisters, she began the Dominican Sisters Home Health Agency from their center on Gardiners Lane in Hampton Bays. This home care agency continues to be present under the title of the Dominican Sisters Family Health Service.
She later served on the nursing staff of other offices of the aging in Ossining, the South Bronx and Harlem. In 1976, she returned to Hampton Bays and began the Pastoral Care Service in that office. Later she provided care in the Bronx office and at St. Clare’s Hospital in the Bronx.
She received a grant to study massage therapy, uniquely integrating her nursing and social work skills and pastoral care in providing hands-on healing to some of “society’s untouchables” at the time, AIDS patients and their families. Her life passion was always to be an empowering presence among the sick and the poor.
She is survived by a nephew, Kevin Whelan, and nieces, Sarah Whelan and Shawn Whelan, and their families.
Sister Fran requested that her body be donated for medical research at Mount Sinai Medical College in New York City.
A memorial Mass was held at the Ossining Center of Hope on February 23.
on Mar 2, 2015