Sister Philomene Golonka

Sister Mary Philomene Golonka died peacefully on December 15 at the Sisters of Mercy Retirement Center in Auburn.   She had been a Sister of Mercy for 65 years.  She was born in Piru, California in 1931 and was proud to be a ‘native daughter of the Golden West.’  Her parents were the late John and Emily (Furnivall) Golonka.  Having met the Sisters of Mercy at Mercy Academy, Red Bluff, she entered religious life in Council Bluffs, Iowa in 1952 and was finally professed in 1958.

After completing her religious studies, she taught elementary students in Omaha, and was then assigned to her home State of California where she taught at Mount St. Mary’s, Grass Valley and St. Patrick’s Home, Sacramento for ten years.  She spent thirty six years at Our Lady of Perpetual Help School in Daly City.  For health reasons, she retired from teaching in 2015 and moved to the Retirement Center of the Sisters of Mercy in Auburn, where she was involved in the ministry of prayer.

She is predeceased by her sister, Mary Victoria; brothers, Johnny, Joseph (Elaine) Golonka; niece Jennine. She is survived by her nieces, nephews, and their families, and her religious community.