CUMBERLAND—Sister Margaret Mary Caniff (formerly Sister Mary Alcuin), 95, a Sister of Mercy and a former primary grade teacher and principal, died at Mount St. Rita Health Centre on Friday, March 15.
Born in Providence, a daughter of the late Edward and Margaret (Elliott) Caniff. She entered the Sisters of Mercy on September 8, 1937 and professed perpetual vows on August 16, 1943.
Sister Caniff earned a B.S. in Education from the Catholic Teachers College in Providence and then continued her postgraduate education at Nazareth College in Rochester, N.Y.
She completed 47 years of teaching in the Diocese of Providence at the Cranston-Johnston Regional School where she taught for 15 years. After retiring from teaching, Sister continued her ministry of prayer at St Rose of Lima Convent, Warwick.
In addition to her religious community, the Sisters of Mercy, she leaves several cousins. She was the sister of the late John, Edward and James Caniff.
A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on Monday, March 18, at 11 a.m. in Mount St. Rita Chapel, Cumberland. Interment was in Resurrection Cemetery.
