Sister Therese Kinsel, OSF

Sister Therese Kinsel, OSF, age 88, born Janet Kinsel in New Lexington, Ohio on May 9, 1936, died on May 1, 2025 at Stella Niagara Health Center. She was the daughter of the late Hugh F. and Margaret (Maher) Kinsel.

She entered the Sisters of St. Francis on October 31, 1954 and was professed July 2, 1957.

She received her B.A. degree from Rosary Hill (Daemen Univ.) in Buffalo, NY in 1971.  Sister Therese served mainly in New York and Ohio in education, retreat, pastoral and secretarial ministries: In New York at Sacred Heart Academy, Buffalo (1957-63) sewing; Stella Niagara Seminary, Stella Niagara (1965-67) teaching and secretary; Bishop McMahon High School, Buffalo (1969-71) teaching; Bishop O’Hern House of Prayer, Buffalo (1971-74) retreat staff; Center of Renewal, Stella Niagara (1974-78) retreat staff; and St. Joseph School, Gowanda (1984-85) secretary. In Ohio at Sacred Heart School, Columbus (1963-65) teaching; St. Aloysius Academy, New Lexington (197-68) teaching; St. Luke Parish, Danville (1978) parish ministry; St. Therese Shrine, Columbus (1978-80) program planning; Pope John XXIII School, Columbus (1980-83) administrative assistant; Bishop Wehrle High School, Diocese of Columbus (1983-84) Inner-city task force; St. Mary School, Marion (1985-87) office staff; Mt. Aloysius, New Lexington (1988-89) teaching, (1989-97) pastoral care, (1997-2000) tutoring, and (2005-2011) pastoral care; St. Rose School, New Lexington (1997-2003) tutoring; (2003-2011) teaching and library assistant; St. Vincent de Paul Center, Corning (2007-11) volunteering.

She retired in Ohio in 2011 and moved to the Stella Niagara in 2012, where, in spite of health challenges, she was a joyful member of the Health Center Community.

Sister Therese enjoyed sharing her poetry and music, and she became a member of the Larks singers at the Lewiston, NY Senior Center.

Besides her parents, Sister Therese was predeceased by her brothers, James (Julia) Kinsel, Wilfred Kinsel, Edmund Kinsel and sisters, Virginia (Robert) McLain, Mary Joan (Robert) Soller and a great nephew, Andrew Soller.

She is survived by a sister-in-law, Deanna Kinsel, 28 nieces and nephews as well as her Sisters in the Stella Niagara Community.

Wake Monday, May 5 from 2-4:30PM with a prayer service at 4:30PM, and Mass of Christian burial at 6:30PM at Stella Niagara. Burial Tuesday, May 6 at 9:45AM at Stella Niagara Cemetery.

Memorials may be made to the Sisters of St. Francis, Stella Niagara, NY 14144.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Sister Therese Kinsel, OSF, please visit our floral store.