Sister Irene Cody, RSHM, a beloved educator and longtime campus presence at Marymount University, passed away on February 11 at the age of 100.
Marymount will celebrate a Memorial Mass to honor her life and legacy on Wednesday, April 1 at noon in the Sacred Heart of Mary Chapel. Members of the University community, along with Sister Irene’s family and religious community, are invited to gather in prayer and remembrance.
A member of the Religious of the Sacred Heart of Mary for 80 years, Sister Irene devoted her life to education, faith and service across the globe, touching generations of students and colleagues with her warmth and unwavering commitment to others.
Born Dorothy Cody on January 5, 1926 in New York City, she entered religious life in 1943 and took the name Sister Irene the following year. In support of her lifelong vocation to teach, she earned a bachelor’s degree in English and advanced degrees in Latin and classics, as well as educational psychology and counseling.
Over several decades, Sister Irene served in Marymount schools in New York City, Colombia and Mexico, before moving into leadership roles within the RSHM. Her work as both an educator and guidance counselor reflected a deep commitment to the holistic development of students in all areas of their lives.
That same dedication defined her 36-year tenure at Marymount, where she served from 1978 to 2014. As director of financial aid and a foreign student adviser, she played a vital role in shaping the student experience as she supported access to education while building programs and services for international students. She also made a difference in the lives of Marymount staff, regularly teaching English to employees whose primary language was Spanish. Even after her retirement from active ministry, she remained committed to service, volunteering locally with the Literacy Council of Northern Virginia as she tutored adults in reading and writing.
In recognition of her lasting impact, the University dedicated the Cody Gallery at its Ballston Center in her honor in 2018.
Members of the Marymount community who knew Sister Irene well remember an impactful figure who brought joy and compassion to every interaction.
“I knew Sister Irene since about 1955, when she was teaching in the high school in Tarrytown and I was in training,” said Sister Jackie Murphy, RSHM. “She was a great lady, wonderful with young people and very gifted. I miss her terribly. She will be remembered positively on campus and beyond. I had phone calls galore the day she died—they just kept coming one after the other. I’ve had the opportunity to speak with our sisters who were in South America with her, and there was such an exuberance about Sister Irene. Whenever they saw her, they couldn’t wait to give her a hug or reminisce.”
It’s even more personal for Marymount senior Mia Clevano, who was Sister Irene’s grandniece.
“She was a big part of our family,” Clevano reflected. “After her sister passed away when I was very young, she really took on that role with me. When I came to Marymount, it felt like everywhere I went, I could see little bits of her. Even as an administrator, she had a hands-on role with students here. She was really kind and gentle, and always wanted to be someone you could listen to.”
Clevano, who created her own major in Theology, Religion and Culture, says Sister Irene’s life shaped her own academic and professional trajectory.
“It feels like a full-circle moment—not only being the first in my family to go to college, but to study something so connected to her life. Now I’m pursuing graduate school along that same path and will head off to either Harvard Divinity School or Oxford University. I was actually able to go to Oxford two years ago during the summer with Marymount’s Study Abroad program, which is also interesting because international education was her focus here.”
Alumna and former Marymount Board of Trustees member Lita Treacy ’60 recalled Sister Irene’s enduring presence on campus.
“I didn’t realize she was 100 years old, because she never looked like it,” Treacy said. “I would always see her at Mass, and I was part of the dedication for the Cody Gallery. She was just a pleasure to have on campus, and it was important for people to see that we had a religious presence here as a Catholic institution.”
Yong Kim, a current member of the Board of Trustees, also reflected on the personal impact Sister Irene had on those around her.
“My relationship with her was very special,” Kim said. “Since I met her, I have been really touched by her Catholic identity—which is the foundation of a Marymount education—and I have seen her true dedication to it throughout her life. She was always calm and had such a unique, kind smile for everyone. I have great respect for her and have so many memories of how she helped us at Marymount. She was beyond the norm.”
