Sister Theresa Marie Kukla, SSCJ, a perpetually professed Sister of the Congregation of Sister Servants of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, entered into eternal life on Thursday morning, August 22, 2019, the feast of the Queenship of Mary, at Family Hospice in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, following a brief illness.

Born Patricia Kukla in Lilly, PA on July 17, 1944, Sister Theresa Marie was the daughter of the late Stanley and Mary (Slebodnick) Kukla.

She leaves behind her fellow religious Sisters who loved her dearly, as well as her beloved siblings, Helen Campbell; Stanley (Barbara) Kukla Jr; Virginia “Jeannie” (Michael) Maness; and Priscilla Caron; as well as her nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by a brother, Joseph.

Sr. Theresa Marie entered the Congregation of Sister Servants of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus on September 15, 1970, professing her first vows on June 29, 1973 and professing her perpetual vows on June 29, 1978.  She observed the Silver Jubilee of her religious profession on December 27, 1998 at Sacred Heart Province in Cresson, Pennsylvania. She was among the first Americans to enter the Sister Servants of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, where she later served as the second provincial superior of the American Province and was a longtime Mistress of Novices and local superior. Since August 1, 2017, she resided at St. Joseph Convent, in Munster Township, Portage, PA where she devotedly cared for Mother Amabilis Debicka.

Sister Theresa Marie obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Education from St. Francis University, Loretto, PA and a Masters degree in Religious Education from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum) in Rome.  

Throughout her religious life, she served the glory of the Most Sacred Heart with love and zeal in the areas of education and catechesis, youth ministry and administration within the Dioceses of Altoona-Johnstown and Wheeling-Charleston. At the time of her death, Sister Theresa Marie was assigned as Director of Religious Education at Our Lady of the Alleghenies Parish in Lilly, PA.

Vigil Rites for Sister Theresa Marie will be held on Tuesday, August 27, 2019, at St. Francis Xavier Church, 211 Powell Avenue, Cresson, PA, beginning with the Rite of Reception at 5:00 PM, with the Reverend Leo F. Arnone, officiating.  Viewing hours will follow on Tuesday evening from 6:00 to 8:00 PM, in the church.

An additional viewing will be held on Wednesday morning, August 28, 2019 from 9:00 to 10:00AM, in St. Francis Xavier Church, 211 Powell Avenue, Cresson, followed by her Funeral Mass at 10:00AM. The Reverend Leo F. Arnone, Pastor, will be the celebrant, and Monsignor John R. Sasway, will serve as homilist.

Committal will be in St. Francis Xavier Cemetery, Cresson, where she will be laid to rest alongside her fellow departed Sisters.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Sr. Theresa Marie’s memory to the Sister Servants of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, 866 Cambria St, Cresson, PA 16630.

In your charity, please pray for the repose of the soul of our beloved Sr. Theresa Marie Kukla, SSCJ and for all our beloved faithful departed. May their souls and all the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.

Funeral Arrangements have been made in conjunction with the Wroblewski Funeral Home, Inc., 1442 Wyoming Avenue, Forty Fort, PA 18704 (www.wroblewskifuneralhome.com) and the Matthew R. Decort Funeral Home, 532 Main Street, Portage, PA 15946 (www.decortfh.com).