Obituary of Sr. Mary Jane Robertshaw, OSU

We are very sad to announce the passing of, Sr. Mary Jane Robertshaw, OSU. Sr. Mary Jane was beloved member of the Ursuline community and died peacefully on April 21, 2020 at Andrus -on-Hudson, NY. She was born in Greensburg, PA to Marie and Clarence Robertshaw in 1929. She entered the Ursulines shortly after graduating from The College of New Rochelle in 1951.

Sr Mary Jane’s accomplishments span decades at CNR and beyond. As art professor she enriched the lives of students and the entire college community for forty years, teaching modern art, philosophy of art, ceramics, sculpture, and weaving. After studying weaving on a sabbatical in Finland, Sr. Mary Jane created the campus weaving studio. A subsequent sabbatical took her to Botswana to teach wood carving to the bushmen of the Kalahari, so they could sell their works at market. She also studied Islamic Art at NYU, the Art of India at Columbia University, and Celtic Art in France and Ireland. After retiring from classroom teaching at CNR, Sr. Mary Jane served as Artist-in-Residence for some 15 years.

Sr. Mary Jane was instrumental in establishing the Castle Gallery at CNR, where she served as a member of the Board for many years. She also served on numerous art-related committees, the Ursuline Institute, and Ursuline Association for Higher Education, and on the board of the Ursuline School. Sister is probably best known for the life-size wooden sculpture of St. Angela Merici, founder of the Ursuline Sisters, which formerly was at Holy Family Chapel at the College of New Rochelle and now is in the chapel at the Ursuline Province Center.

While living at Andrus, Sr. Mary Jane served as an officer of the Residents’ Council and offered workshops in art for residents.
Because of the COVID-19 crisis, there will not be a wake or funeral for Sr. Mary Jane. Burial will be private and a Memorial Mass will be celebrated at a later date.

Donations in Sr. Mary Jane’s name may be made to the Ursuline Sisters’ Retirement Fund, 1338 North Ave., New Rochelle, NY 10804 or online. Lloyd Maxcy is in charge of arrangements.