Sister Betty McLellan (Sister M. John Daniel), SNJM (1927-2024)
Sister of the Holy Names Betty McLellan (Sister M. John Daniel) died Saturday, May 25, 2024, at South Hill Village in Spokane, Washington. Sister Betty was born October 31, 1927, to John D. McLellan and Elizabeth McCann McLellan in Butte, Montana, and was baptized and received her First Communion at Sacred Heart parish. Following her mother’s death in October 1934, Betty lived in Ireland with her mother’s sisters and while there was confirmed at St. Columba Parish. Betty returned to Butte, and there she completed her elementary and high school education. It was when she enrolled at Holy Names College (Spokane) that Betty met the Sisters of the Holy Names and in the spring of 1950 where she completed her bachelor’s degree in education. On July 25 of that same year, she entered the novitiate of the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary at Marylhurst, Oregon. In February of 1951, Betty was given her religious name, Sister M. John Daniel and received her Holy Habit; she pronounced perpetual vows in August of 1957.
Sister Betty was an educator whose ministries focused in two main areas: elementary education in parish schools and the Associates’ program for Sisters of the Holy Names of the then Washington Province. Having completed her college education before entering the novitiate, Sister Betty began her teaching career while a postulant. She would tell of riding the bus into Portland’s Holy Redeemer parish to teach first grade during the week and returning to Marylhurst on Friday afternoons to attend formation classes. She delighted in and made lasting impressions upon her first graders in parish schools in Portland, Spokane, Eugene, Richland, Seattle, and Auburn. She was the founding principal of Holy Family School (Auburn) and there assigned as superior of a local community for the first time. Her final years as teacher and principal were dedicated to providing leadership at Sacred Heart as Spokane parishes consolidated their elementary programs. During her years of teaching, she completed a Master of Arts in English from Gonzaga University. Bidding farewell to the classroom, she was soon on her way to family in Texas and to a much-deserved sabbatical. Her return to Spokane began the second focus of Sister Betty’s life of ministry. Her leadership skills were now called upon as Director of the Heritage and Horizons Program (Fort Wright College, Spokane) and in 1986 began her thirty years as Director of the Associate Program.
An outline of Sister Betty’s ministerial life in no way captures the myriad friendships she shared with people over her long life. Her spiritual influence and sensitivity to the needs of others, plus her desire and ability to meet those needs was paramount for her. Her vision of life was expansive and all-inclusive, and all who came to know her were soon in her sphere of concern and in her prayer. Sister Betty’s enduring impact on others was for one to know they were valued, deserving of nurture, and loved unconditionally, whether one was family, friend, a stranger on the street, caregiver, or a member of her religious community of Sisters and Associates.
Sister Betty is preceded in death by her parents, John and Elizabeth McLellan, her brother and sister-in-law John and Marie McLellan, and her grand-niece Katie McLellan. Sister Betty is survived by her McLellan nephews: Michael (Donna), Patrick (Anne Martt), Neil (Ruby), and Dan (Noma); grand-nephews Keith (Elizabeth) and Sean; and grand-nieces Aili and Kelsey McLellan, and Karen (Bob) Williams; families of Bill and Patricia DeVries (Spokane) and Betty Riordan (Butte) of which Sr. Betty was an honorary member; the Sisters and Associates of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary and friends too numerous to count. The Sisters wish to thank Sister Betty’s caregivers from Love At Home, especially Heather and Sarah, and the staff of South Hill Village for their care of Sister Betty during her 10-year residency.
Sister Betty’s Funeral Mass will be celebrated Saturday, June 22, 2024, 10:00 a.m. at Sacred Heart Parish, 219 E Rockwood Blvd, Spokane, WA 99202. Burial the same day is at 2:00 p.m. at Holy Cross Cemetery, 7200 N Wall Street | Spokane, WA 99208.
Memorial gifts may be made to Sisters of the Holy Names Retirement Fund, PO Box 398, Marylhurst, OR, 97036 or online at www.snjmusontario.org/donate.
