Gomtolpios: Sister Elizabeth Ann Tonroe, DC, former principal of several schools, dies at 94

A funeral Mass was offered Oct. 1 for Daughter of Charity Sister Elizabeth Ann Tonroe at the Basilica of St. Elizabeth Seton in Emmitsburg. Sister Elizabeth Ann, a former teacher and principal of several schools in the Archdiocese of Baltimore, died Sept. 27. She was 94.

Born in Baltimore, Sister Elizabeth Ann was a member of St. Ann parish in the city. She graduated from Seton High School in Baltimore in 1945 and entered the Daughters of Charity Oct. 26, 1946. She earned her bachelor’s degree in French in 1960 from St. Joseph College in Emmitsburg and her master’s degree in French in 1968 from Rivier College in Nashua, New Hampshire.

Following initial formation, Sister Elizabeth Ann was missioned to teach at St. Dominic School in Baltimore (1948-1954) and then at Our Lady of Peace School in Canton, Ohio (1954-1960). After those missions, she assumed the role of principal at Our Lady of Lourdes School (1960-1962) and St. Michael School (1962-1967), both in Baltimore.

Sister Elizabeth Ann served in formation ministry at St. Joseph Provincial House in Emmitsburg from 1967 to 1970. In 1970 she returned to education, serving as a religion teacher at Seton High School in Baltimore (1970-1973), as principal of St. Dominic School in Baltimore (1973-1979), and as principal of Holy Cross Regional School in Lynchburg, Va. (1979-1980). She then served on the Provincial Council for the Emmitsburg Province (1980-1989). Her next assignment was principal at Mother Seton School in Emmitsburg (1989-1991). She also served in Washington D.C., South Carolina and Hyattsville, Md.

Sister Elizabeth Ann ministered to retired sisters in Villa St. Michael, Emmitsburg (2000-2007) and from 2007 to 2014 she visited the elderly and homebound parishioners from St. Joseph parish in Martinsburg, W.Va. In 2014, Sister Elizabeth Ann was missioned to Villa St. Michael, where she served in prayer ministry until her death.