Sr Florence Mary Tobin

Died 11 May 2022

Florence Mary Tobin, one of the six daughters and four sons born to Michael and Mary Tobin (née Hickey), grew up on the rich farmland of Largs.   After primary schooling at the Largs Convent School, Florence, like her sisters boarded at St Joseph’s College Lochinvar, where she excelled in music, learning both the piano and violin.

Florence entered the Novitiate at Lochinvar in 1950 and was given the name of Sr Francis Mary.  She was professed with her younger sister, Clare as a Sister of St Joseph on 2 July 1952.

From then she lived and ministered in many places – Wingham, Kendall, Charlestown and Muswellbrook to name a few, as music teacher, church organist, choir leader, community support person, and in later life as a pastoral care worker to the sick and housebound in Port Macquarie and The Junction. She was a foundation member of the Tuncurry community in 1959 and returned there in later years.

Sr Florence Mary died suddenly and unexpectedly on 11 May 2022. Her death brought to an end the long line of Tobin women who had been part of the life of the Lochinvar Josephite congregation since 1885 when Brigid Tobin, Sr Stanislaus entered the Novitiate.  For one hundred and thirty-seven years, there was a member of the Tobin family in the Josephite community.

The Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated in St Joseph’s Chapel on 23 May 2022 with Fr Peter Street, the current parish priest of Forster/Tuncurry, Fr Kevin Corrigan, a former parish priest and Fr Bill Burston as concelebrants. The presider was Most Rev Brian Mascord, Bishop of Wollongong and long-time friend of the Tobin family.

At the conclusion of the Mass family, friends and Sisters of St Joseph accompanied the body of Sr Florence Mary Tobin to her resting place in the Sisters’ section of the Lochinvar cemetery.  There, with eight other Tobin Sisters of St Joseph who have gone before her, she awaits the Resurrection.