Celebrating a Life of Service: Sister Jude Mary Connelly, OSF

Sister Jude Mary Connelly played a vital role at Virginia Mason Franciscan Health (VMFH), serving her team members and community for decades. Her roles spanned from nurse to chaplain, administrator, member of the board of directors, and more. On March 28, 2024, she passed away at the age of 83. 

Sister Jude demonstrated–from her words and her actions–her innate compassion, deep devotion to caring for the most vulnerable, and belief in the power of shared purpose. She lived the VMFH mission each and every day of her life, and her legacy will live on well into the future. 

Sister Jude attended St. Joseph Nursing School in Tacoma. She earned a Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing from University of Oregon and a Master’s of Health Administration from Xavier University, as well as Clinical Pastoral Education Certification. As a nurse she provided critical care for both rural and urban communities, with specialized services for high-risk newborns, home health, emergency response, progressive care and cardiac care. Sister Jude was a part of the team who cared for the first open heart surgery patient at St. Joseph Medical Center.

VMFH is proud to honor Sister Jude in several ways in the coming month. 

For the month of July, the exterior of St. Joseph Medical Center is illuminated in white in her memory. 

A celebration of life will be held on Thursday, July 11, 2024 at the Pagoda at Point Defiance Park in Tacoma. The event is open to the public from 2 to 5 p.m. More information and an option to submit a memory of Sister Jude is available by following this link. Donations may also be made to The Sister Jude Fund at the VMFH Foundation.