Sister Frances Marie Kowalski, OSF (Sister Thomas Joseph), 79, went home to God on Monday, Feb. 23, 2026 at St. Joseph’s Hospital Health Center. She was born in Syracuse and had been a Sister of St. Francis for 60 years.
Sister was predeceased by her parents, Frederick and Frances (Kostine) Kowalski, and she is survived by the Sisters of St. Francis.
Sister was an educator and principal in the Central New York area and Florida. While in Florida, Sister worked tirelessly to open low-income housing for the elderly. For 10 years, she was responsible for all aspects of its supervision and served as a consultant to new HUD projects in Florida. Sister also served in various community service roles for the Sisters of St. Francis, including as a member of the Leadership Council.
Sister was an avid SU sports fan, especially basketball and football. She was proud to be a native Syracusan and both a student and teacher at Assumption Parish, where she grew up.
A Mass of Christian burial was held at the Franciscan Villa Chapel in Syracuse on Tuesday, March 3, 2026.
To view the Mass remotely, please visit Sister’s obituary page (Photos & Video) at knightfamilyfuneralhome.com.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Sisters of St. Francis of the Neumann Communities, Congregational Development Office, 225 Greenfield Parkway, Suite 208, Liverpool, NY 13088.
