Sister Helen Leclerc, CSJ, 78

Sister Helen Leclerc, CSJ, 78, died Dec. 17 at St. Peter’s Hospital in Albany. She had been a Sister for 61 years: a Sister of Charity of St. Louis for 22 years and a Sister of St. Joseph of Carondelet for 39 years.

Sister Helen, baptized Helen Marie Ange Leclerc, was born on March 18, 1942, in Saint-Théophile, Lévis,?Québec, daughter of the late Odilon and Germaine Boutin Leclerc. After attending parochial schools in Saint-Théophile, Sister Helen entered the Sisters of Charity of St. Louis on Aug. 26, 1959. She received her education as a licensed practical nurse at Windham Regional Technical School in Willimantic, Conn.; her diploma as a registered nurse at St. Joseph’s Hospital School of Nursing in Elmira; and her bachelor of science degree in nursing from SUNY Polytechnic Institute in Utica.

Sister Helen began her ministry as a teacher assistant and student teacher in Redford and Plattsburgh and began her studies for nursing. She worked as a staff nurse at two hospitals in Plattsburgh. In 1981, Sister Helen canonically transferred her perpetual vows to the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet.

After her transfer of vows, Sister Helen worked as a registered nurse and nursing supervisor at St. Joseph’s Provincial House in Latham, served as a visiting nurse and supervising nurse/program director in Schoharie County and later as a chaplain at Glens Falls Hospital. In 2004, Sister Helen became a seamstress at St. Joseph’s Provincial House where she used the skills she learned from her mother to make beautiful custom curtains and drapes for all the various size rooms at the Provincial House.

Sister Helen is survived by her beloved family, all in Canada: her brothers, Paul-Emile, Germain, Gerard, Benoit, Roger, Real and Georges; her sisters, Anita Houle, Marguerite Leclerc, Cecile Leclerc, Marie-Ange Jolin and Madeleine Larochelle; many nieces and nephews and their families; and the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet. In addition to her parents, Sister Helen was predeceased by her brothers, Joseph, Rosaire and Eugene Leclerc; and her sisters, Therese and Gisele Leclerc.

Due to the continued health concerns regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, there will be no public funeral services for Sister Helen at this time. A Memorial Mass will be scheduled at a later date.