Sr. Mary Jean Birney, OP, formerly known as Sr. Jane Dominic Birney, died at the Dominican Life Center in Adrian. She was 93 and in the 75th year of her religious profession in the Adrian Dominican Congregation.

Sr. Birney was born in Jackson to Charles and Jean (Crawford) Birney. She graduated from St. Mary High School in Jackson and received degrees from Siena Heights College (University) in Adrian and Loyola University in Chicago, including a doctorate in education.

Sr. Birney spent 38 years ministering in education in Michigan, Illinois and Florida. In Michigan, she taught at St. Brigid School (1942-46) and St. Jude School, (1946-48) both in Detroit; Our Lady of Sorrows School, Farmington (1969-70); and as a professor at Siena Heights University, Adrian (1963-68). In 1971, Sr. Birney began four years of service as a pastoral minister at St. Henry Parish in Lincoln Park. She also served as a medical receptionist at Sebewaing Medical Clinic in Sebewaing from 1975-76.

Sr. Birney is survived by a sister, Sr. Jean Charles Birney, also an Adrian Dominican, and two half-sisters, Charline Sundquist of Farmington and Patricia Lane of Ramona, Calif.; and a half-brother, Charles Birney, Jr., of Flint.

A funeral Mass was offered in St. Catherine Chapel in Adrian on April 7. Rite of Committal will be in the Congregation cemetery.