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Sister Margaret Anne Purtell, M.M., a native of Brooklyn who served in nursing positions in South Korea and the United States, died June 25 at Maryknoll Sisters Center in Ossining. She was 89.
In 1958, Sister Margaret was assigned to Queen of the World Hospital in Kansas City, Mo., where she was operating room supervisor, nursing supervisor and assistant director of nurses.
In 1963, she received her first overseas mission assignment to South Korea. She was nursing and operating room supervisor, 1964-1965, and clinic supervisor, 1965-1967, both in Pusan. She moved to Taiwan to serve as adviser to the National Taiwan University Hospital, 1969-1971. She was supervisor of nursing at Maryknoll Hospital in Pusan, 1974-1975. In 1976, she moved to Seoul, where she did justice and peace work.
From 1979 to 2011, she served at the Maryknoll Sisters Center as a nurse, director of the information systems office, planned giving associate and telephone receptionist.
She entered the Maryknoll Sisters’ novitiate in 1951 and professed final vows in 1960. She was formerly known as Sister Marie Joseph.
She earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing at St. Teresa’s College in Winona, Minn., and a master’s in nursing administration at Columbia Teachers College.
A Funeral Mass was offered June 29 in Annunciation Chapel at Maryknoll Sisters Center. Burial was in Maryknoll Sisters Cemetery.
