Obituary of Sister Ann Cecila Heise, OSF

Sister Ann Cecilia Heise, OSF, went home to God very quietly and peacefully on Monday, September 4, 2017 at the Franciscan Villa in Syracuse, NY around 4:30 am. She was born in Watertown NY. Sister Ann Cecilia was 88 and had been a Sister of St. Francis for 65 years. She received a Bachelor's Degree in Education from the State University Teachers' College in Oswego, NY and a Master's in Education from SUNY at Oswego, NY. Sister ministered for 44 years in the field of Education as a teacher and principal. For 20 of those years, her teaching ministry brought her to schools in Amsterdam, DeWitt and Utica, NY as well as Camden and Hoboken, NJ. She further shared her skills as educator for 24 more years as principal at the Franciscan Academy in Syracuse, and Fulton Catholic School, St. Paul School in Whitesboro and St. Peter in Utica, NY. Her next ministry was to the elderly as she became Assistant Administrator at a HUD Housing, Prince of Peace Villas in Ormond Beach, Florida in 1997. Upon her return to Syracuse, NY in 2006, Sister worked in Community Service - helping out wherever needed but especially in the Finance Office and as a volunteer with the Nun Better Chocolate Ministry. Sister will be remembered for her quiet, gentle spirit, her love of her God and her community, her generosity, loyalty, kindness, prayerfulness, but especially her reflection of the true Franciscan Spirit to all she met. She was pre-deceased by her parents, two brothers Robert Durant and Wayne Durant. Sister is survived by her sister Jeanne Gunther and the Sisters of St. Francis. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Thursday, September 7, 2017 at 7:00 pm at the Franciscan Villa Chapel, 6900 Buckley Road, Syracuse, NY 13212. Calling hours will be from 3:30 to 6:30 pm in the Chapel. A farewell service will be held at 8:30 am on Friday, September 8, at the Franciscan Villa Chapel. Interment will follow in Assumption Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Sisters of St. Francis of the Neumann Communities, Mission Advancement Office, 6900 Buckley Road, Syracuse, NY 13212.