Sister Lucille Coldrick, RDC (Mary Compassio), a member of the Sisters of the Divine Compassion for nearly 66 years, died peacefully July 3, 2025 after a long illness at St. Cabrini Nursing Home in Dobbs Ferry, NY.
Sr. Lucille was born in New York City on October 29, 1936. She entered the Sisters of the Divine Compassion on September 3, 1959 and made final vows on March 30, 1967.
Sr. Lucille earned her Bachelor’s Degree in History from Good Counsel College in 1958 and her Master’s Degree from Fordham University in 1967. She began her ministry as history teacher at Good Counsel Academy and remained in that position until 1976. During that time, Sr. Lucille was also the Director of Novices, responsible for the formation of new Sisters.
Sr. Lucille began a nine-month Apostolic Religious Communities (ARC) program headquartered in Rome, Italy in 1976. While in Europe, Sister visited Greece, France, Austria, Israel and what was then the USSR. Her letters home are a rich combination of the sociology, politics and theology of the places she traveled, several brief biographies of some of the people she encountered, and travel brochure-worthy descriptions of the sights, sounds, smells and “feel “of it all.
After Sr. Lucille’s return to the U.S., she was an adjunct professor and administrator at Pace University and served on three Congregational Leadership Teams.
Sr. Lucille was admired for her standards of excellence and professionalism as an educator and administrator. Under Sister’s leadership as principal of The Academy of Our Lady of Good Counsel High School (1978-1985) and Preston High School (1991-2008), both high schools were well-known for their academic excellence and the spirit of compassion that permeated each one.
Sr. Lucille was gracious, pleasant and unfailingly polite. She had the gift of providing her undivided attention to whomever she was speaking with in any given situation.
While “outdoorsy” might not come to mind when describing Sr. Lucille, she once listed her interests as “running, cycling and aerobic dancing.” Over the years the running, cycling and aerobics did fall by the wayside, but her love of reading, music, the ballet and especially her love of the opera endured.
Sr. Lucille loved the Sisters of the Divine Compassion. In her application for entrance into the Congregation, she wrote about being drawn to the Spirit of the Divine Compassion, as she witnessed it among the Sisters and her conviction that she was being called to live it. In a conversation a few years ago about the Congregational name, she remarked, “After all these years, it still takes my breath away!” For Sr. Lucille and those that knew her, it was a lived reality.
Sr. Lucille was predeceased by her parents Michael and Frances, her brothers Michael and James and her nephew/godchild, Daniel Coldrick. She is survived by her siblings, Sr. Helen Coldrick, RDC, her brothers William, Daniel and David, many nieces and nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews, and her dear friend, Sr. Laura Donovan.
The wake for Sr. Lucille Coldrick will be on Wednesday afternoon, July 9, 2025 at McMahon, Lyon and Hartnett Funeral Home White Plains from 4:00 to 8:00 pm and at the Chapel of the Divine Compassion in White Plains on Thursday from 9:30 to 10:30 am. The Ritual of Welcome will be at 10: 30 am, followed by the Mass of Christian Burial at 11:00 am. A private cremation will follow the Liturgy.
Memorial donations may be sent to the Sisters of the Divine Compassion, 52 N. Broadway, White Plains, NY 10603.