Mary Charity Dalton, CSJ
August 3, 1927 - January 18, 2025
Gracious, kind, generous
Paul and Mary Agnes (Dalton) Schmuck* of Pine Lawn in St. Louis County, Missouri, welcomed their daughter, Rosemary, on August 3, 1927. Growing up, her family consisted of two girls and three boys, though, one brother died at age 11, due to serious health problems. Rosemary attended St. Paul the Apostle School and then Rosati-Kain High, both in St. Louis. She earned a bachelor’s degree in speech and theater from Webster College (now University), St. Louis in 1949 and entered the community that same year. She received the habit and her religious name, Mary Charity, in March of 1950.
Sister Mary Charity lived out her life of ministry in St. Louis. Beginning in 1952, she taught intermediate and junior high students at St. Roch School. In 1957, she became a theatre teacher at St. Joseph’s Academy. Next, she began a lengthy career at Fontbonne College (now University), first as a teacher of speech and theater, beginning in 1960, and then as a counselor from 1986 to December of 1989. After a brief sabbatical in December, S. Mary Charity became an associate producer of the Sacred Heart Radio Program from 1990 through 1994.
She transitioned to program coordinator at Ronald McDonald House in 1995. Then, in 1998, she continued as a program coordinator at the Asthma & Allergy Foundation of America. In 2003, she retired to St. Joseph’s Academy Convent and served as a volunteer. In 2004, she volunteered at Jesuit Hall. She then began helping with the Immigrant & Refugee Women’s Program in 2005.
Throughout her life, she stayed a gentle, accepting, loving person with a wonderful smile and a sense of humor and had the desire to minister as long as she was able.
In 2014, she joined the ministry of prayer and presence at Nazareth Living Center. However, her active ministry was not yet finished. In 2016, she moved to the Carondelet Motherhouse, where she volunteered in Archives until she returned to Nazareth Living Center in 2019.
MEMORIES
Associate Patrick McDowell
Sister Mary Charity and several associates were seated together at the social gathering at the motherhouse. Sister’s comical wit, easy-going demeanor and engaging personality kept us entertained the entire time that we were together. You would have believed that all of us were lifetime friends, although, most of us had just met S. Mary Charity and each other. She had such a gift to make all around her feel at ease. What a delightful evening!
Sister Barbara Volk
I had Sister Mary Charity for speech class as a freshman at Fontbonne. Charity was a great teacher — caring, well prepared, fun, always interested in each girl.
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*In September of 1985, S. Mary Charity legally changed her surname to Dalton.
By Sister Helen Oates