The following obituary was shared by Seton Hill University in Greensburg, Pennsylvania:
Sister Ann Infanger, SC, entered eternal life at the age of 90 on May 20, 2024 at Caritas Christi, the motherhouse of the Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill in Greensburg, in her 68th year of religious life. Sister Ann was born in Maplewood, New Jersey, on December 20, 1933, the third and youngest child of Adolph and Louise Stuern Infanger. She entered the Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill on September 8, 1956, from Our Lady of Sorrows Parish in South Orange, New Jersey. Her parents and brother Frank preceded her in death. She is survived by her sister and brother-in-law, Catherine and Fred Crehan, nieces, nephews, and her religious community.
Sister Ann, a distinguished scholar, earned her bachelor’s degree in biology from Seton Hill University and continued her academic journey at Cornell University. There, she pursued her passion for genetics, culminating in a Ph.D. Her groundbreaking research on the DNA of bread mold, co-authored with Helmut Bertrand, was published in Current Genetics, a testament to her significant contributions in the field. Her academic competence and dedication to her studies led her to join the faculty at Seton Hill University, where she inspired and educated nearly two generations of students, teaching biology courses, including General Biology, Genetics, Microbiology, and Seminar in Evolution. She encouraged and prepared students for careers in scientific research, medicine, health, ecology, policy-making, and other scientific fields.
In 1991, she was chosen as Seton Hill University’s Case Professor of the Year and was also awarded the Sears-Roebuck Foundation Award for Teaching Excellence. Later, in 2010, she received a Distinguished Alumni Leadership Award at Seton Hill University for her exceptional achievement and leadership.
Sister Ann’s faith was a guiding force throughout her life. Along with Sister Mary Francis Irvin, she founded the Family of God prayer group within the Greensburg diocese. This is a testament to her commitment to fostering spiritual growth. Sister Ann’s dedication to her faith was further demonstrated when she was appointed as a liaison moderator for the Catholic Charismatic Renewal with a mission to guide individuals toward a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Sister Ann obtained a pastoral ministry certificate and served as a faculty advisor for the Respect Life Organization.
On April 5, 2005, a momentous event, “A Lifetime of Service to Seton Hill University,” was held to honor Sister Ann Infanger’s retirement. The event was a testament to her profound impact on the university and its community. The guests, including relatives, students, colleagues, and Sisters of Charity, gathered to express their gratitude for “her forty-seven years of service, her love of students, her deep intellectual curiosity, her commitment as a teacher and scholar, her respect for human life and the environment that she always modeled for the students, her honoring of tradition, her ability to recognize the need for change and embrace the new, her stewardship of the biology major, the core curriculum and academic excellence, and her joy, humor, and personhood.” The event was a fitting tribute to a woman who had dedicated her life to the betterment of the university and its students.
In 2006, in celebration of Sister Ann’s 50 years as a Sister of Charity of Seton Hill, her colleagues, relatives, and former students established the Infanger Research Endowed Fund. This fund is dedicated to honoring Sister Ann’s contributions as a faculty member and her lifelong commitment to her religious congregation.
When Sister Ann moved to Caritas Christi, she volunteered until she needed the loving care provided by the nursing staff, employees, Sister He Chun, and eventually hospice.
Rest in peace, Sister Ann, as your loving and faithful God welcomes you home to unite eternally with our Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, the Company of Charity, and your loved ones.
The funeral liturgy will be live-streamed; access through the link: https://venue.streamspot.com/
