Mary was born in Queens, N.Y. on December 21st, 1940. She graduated from Elizabeth Seton
High School in 1958 and received her nursing degree from St. Mary’s College in 1962. She
then went to New York University and received her MA in nursing in 1965, during which
time she worked at Memorial Hospital for Cancer in NYC as a staff nurse.
From 1966-1970 she was in Vietnam, working for the Agency for International
Development through the State Dept. Stationed in Saigon, she trained Vietnam citizens in
nursing, as there was a severe shortage of nurses in Vietnam at the time.
From 1971-1980 she taught nursing at the University of South Carolina, the University of
Massachusetts, and the University of Texas, El Paso.
Mary then became a nun with the Sisters of Perpetual Adoration in El Paso. Afterward, she
went to Albuquerque, N.M., and was a nun at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Monastery.
In 1987 she moved to Seguin, TX. She worked at the Warm Springs South Hospital in
Gonzales, TX until 1988.
In 1989 she landed in her beloved San Antonio, TX. She worked as a night nurse until the
early 2000’s, after which she retired from nursing after roughly 35 years. Still, she felt the
need to serve others and worked at the San Antonio Public Library as a library aide. She
tutored elementary students for 6 years at this library. She was also a docent at the San
Antonio Museum of Art. She gave tours of the museum to the general public and students
on field trips.
The entity that she loved the most was the Order of Discalced Secular Carmelites, where
she was a Counselor and Formation Director at the Little Flower Basilica. She was active
with that order from 1988 to 2017.
She is survived by her brother and sister-in-law, Timothy and Rebeca Giles, her nieces and
nephew, Nina Valastro, Ruth Giles Ott, and Matt Giles, along with many, many cousins,
including Maggie Giles, Mary Giles, Billy Giles Jr., and Kathy Giles.
Funeral arrangements will be held at Little Flower Basilica in San Antonio, TX on
February 25th, at 2pm.
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