Leahy, Mary Gonzaga (1870–1958)

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Leahy, Mary Gonzaga (1870–1958)

New Zealand nun and hospital matron. Born June 12, 1870, near Nelson, New Zealand; died Jan 17, 1958, in Mount Eden, New Zealand; dau. of Daniel Leahy (farmer) and Bridget (McNamara) Leahy.

Joined St Mary's Convent, Auckland (1894) and became a nun (1897); trained as nurse at St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney, Australia (1898); returned to New Zealand to become 1st matron of new Coromandel Hospital (1898); purchased property in Mount Eden and converted house into Mater Misericordiae Hospital (1900); was hospital matron (1900–50); embarked on 3-month tour of US and Canadian hospitals and returned to New Zealand with plans for technological improvements for hospital (1929). Order of British Empire (1939).

See also Dictionary of New Zealand Biography (Vol. 3).

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Leahy, Mary Gonzaga (1870–1958)

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