Sr. Dorothy Heffernan, CSJ, who grew up at St. Benedict in Highland Park and taught at many local schools, died April 26 at Nazareth. She was 96 and had been in religious life for 77 years.

She was born Dorothy Heffernan to Edward and Hannah Heffernan in Damascus, Ontario, on March 16, 1915. She entered into the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Nazareth on August 13, 1933. She received the name Sister Claude at her reception on August 24, 1934, but later returned to her baptismal name. She pronounced first vows on August 25, 1936 and final vows on August 26, 1939.

Having earned bachelors degrees from Nazareth College and a Master of Arts degree in Education and Theology from University of Detroit, Sr. Heffernan taught for 32 years at congregation schools. In the Archdiocese of Detroit, she taught at St. Rita, Detroit; St. James, Ferndale; St. Benedict, Highland Park; and Our Lady of Good Counsel, Plymouth. She then ministered at a medical center in Kalamazoo, and ministered to seniors in Lansing. She retired in 1993, when she continued to help the congregation as a switchboard operator, tutor and transportation.

Sr. Heffernan is survived by nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews.

Her funeral Mass was April 29 in the congregation’s Holy Family Chapel.

Memorials to Congregation of St. Joseph, 3427 Gull Road, PO Box 29, Nazareth, MI 49074.