She was predeceased by her parents, George Iredale and Martha (née McQuilkin) Iredale, her sister Patricia, and her brothers Andrew and Father Christopher Iredale, CSB. Sister Marcella will be sadly missed by her family and friends as well as her Sisters in community.
Josephine Margaret Iredale was born and raised in St. Catharines, Ontario. After attending St. Joseph’s High School, she joined the Sisters of St. Joseph of Toronto in September 1950 and received her religious name, Sister Marcella, in 1951. After graduating from Toronto’s St. Joseph’s Hospital School of Nursing in 1962, she worked at the hospital for several years before moving into hospital administration. Over the years, she had been a health care administrator at St. Joseph’s General Hospital, Comox, B.C., Providence Hospital, Scarborough, and Our Lady of Mercy Hospital, Toronto. Following the merger of St. Joseph’s and Our Lady of Mercy Hospitals, she became vice-president, hospital services, and planning and development at St. Joseph’s Health Centre for six years and then director of mission effectiveness for another eight years.
Beginning in 1993, Sister Marcella served as general secretary on the congregation’s leadership team until 2002. After a well-earned sabbatical, she continued to serve her community in a number of ways. She lived in gratitude and died peacefully at the Sisters of St. Joseph Residence where she had been receiving excellent nursing care and attention.
Visitation will take place at the Sisters of St. Joseph Residence
2 O'Connor Drive, Toronto on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, from 2:30 - 4:30 p.m. Prayer Service at 2:30 p.m.
Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Thursday, October 1, 2026 at 10:30 a.m. in the Chapel, 2 O'Connor Drive, Toronto, Ontario
The funeral Mass will be livestreamed at https://csj-to.ca/funeralservice/.
Interment at Holy Cross Cemetery
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Sisters of St. Joseph Ministries 101 Thorncliffe Park Drive, Toronto ON M4H 1M2
