Sr. Josephine Sferrella, IHM, 89, died Aug. 2 at her home, the IHM Sisters’ Motherhouse.

Josephine Marie Sferrella was born in Akron, Ohio, to Dominic and Mary (Frattura) Sferrella on May 30, 1928. In 1946, she entered the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Monroe, and received the religious name Sr. Mary Dominic. Her sister Pauline joined the community in 1951. Sr. Sferrella earned degrees from Marygrove College and Wayne State University in Detroit and Fordham University in New York.

She taught elementary students at SS. Peter and Paul, Ionia; St. Joseph, Trenton; St. Hugo of the Hills, Bloomfield Hills; St. Joseph, Erie; and in Detroit at St. Catherine, St. Patrick, Holy Trinity and Our Lady of Good Counsel. She was principal at St. Boniface, St. Anne and Holy Redeemer High School before joining Marygrove College as dean of student affairs.

After earning her doctorate, Sr. Sferrella worked in the education office of the Archdiocese of Chicago for more than 20 years. Upon returning to Monroe in 2003, she served as a member of the Motherhouse’s tech committee, offering computer skills training and advancing the IHM website, and co-directing the Community Learning Process.

Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated Aug. 7 at the IHM Motherhouse. Burial is in St. Mary Cemetery.