Fallon, Rosary

• Irene Josephine Fallon
• Sister Rosary Fallon
• Sister Irene Josephine Fallon
• Irene Fallon

Irene Josephine Fallon was born in London, Ontario on August 2, 1917. She entered the Sisters of St. Joseph of London on January 16, 1937, and made profession August 25, 1937. She received the religious name of Sister Rosary and professed her first vows on August 25, 1939, and her final vows on August 25, 1942. Sister Rosary died April 17, 2015, in London, Ontario and is buried in St. Peter's Cemetery, London, Ontario.

Irene Josephine was the daughter of Charles Joseph Fallon and Elle Phelan. Her siblings were Edith, Francis, Wilfred and Jack. She grew up on the family farm near Ballymote, northeast of London, Ontario. At 13 years of age, Irene joined her brothers in the Fallon Family Orchestra, performing throughout southwestern Ontario.
Sister Rosary attended London Normal School from 1941-1942, followed by the University of Western Ontario from 1943-1944. She received numerous certificates from the Government of Ontario in music education, primary methods, music supervision, art, language arts and religious education.

Sister Rosary taught in London from 1942-1943, and then in Sarnia from 1943-1956. She then moved to Woodstock to teach from 1956-1958, returning to Sarnia in 1958 and teaching there until 1961. After this, she taught again in Woodstock from 1961-1966, and then in Windsor from 1966-1968. After spending a year in Maidstone, she taught in Tillsonburg for four years and then served as the school librarian at the high school in St. Thomas for a year. She then returned to Sarnia to teach and do remedial work with students from 1975-1979. At the end of her long teaching career, she spent from 1979-1981 in Kelowna, British Columbia teaching religion in the Holy Spirit Parish and then did parish work in Seaforth until 1982. She enjoyed her year at the Galilee Community Renewal Program in Arnprior from 1989-1990. Sister Rosary was an active volunteer at Riverview Hospital in Windsor, St. Mary's Hospital in London, and playing at Mass at Ignatia Hall, Elginfield and Mount St. Joseph. She played piano for weekly sing-a-longs at the new Motherhouse on Windermere Road. Besides being a gifted musician, Sister Rosary was a talented artist who painted more than 200 paintings. She was also a keen historian, and published her autobiography "Stay on the Melody" in her later years. Sister Rosary will be remembered for her wit, her irrepressible sense of humour, her dedication to the truth, her musical skills, and her sharp memory.

Ontario, Canada

Educator
Librarian
Music ministry
Artist
Parish ministry

Sisters of St. Joseph of London Archives
Federation of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Canada Biography Database