A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated Aug. 12 in St. Joseph Villa, Flourtown, Pa., for Sister of St. Joseph Grace Eileen Forker who died Aug. 8. She was 78.

Sister Grace Eileen was raised in Bayonne, and attended St. Mary School and Holy Family Academy, both in Bayonne.

She entered the Sisters of St. Joseph of Chestnut Ill in 1950. She received a bachelor’s degree in Spanish from Chestnut Hill College, Chestnut Hill, Pa., and a master’s degree in Spanish from Millersville University, Millersville, Pa.

Sister Grace Eileen served in a number of parishes and schools in Pennsylvania, Virginia and New Jersey. In the Trenton Diocese, she taught in St. Rose High School, Belmar, from 1987 to 1990. She was a parish minister in Our Lady of Providence Parish, Neptune, from 1990 to 2004, where she ministered to Latino speaking parishioners.

Highlights of her time at Our Lady of Providence included establishing a health clinic for people in need, directing the religious education program and acting as an annulment advocate.

From 2004 to 2010, Sister Grace Eileen was a parish minister at St. Rose Parish, Belmar, where one of her most recent ministries was to establish a consolation ministry for grieving families.

Sister Grace Eileen is survived by three brothers, John, Jim and Ed, and several nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews.

Interment will be in the cemetery on the grounds of St. Joseph Villa, Flourtown, Pa.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be sent to the Sisters of St. Joseph, Mount St. Joseph Convent, 9701 Germantown Ave., Philadelphia, Pa. 19118.