Sister Mary Gabriel (21 June 1904 – 29 February 1988), whose birth name was Muriel Marie Barron, was a New Zealand
religious sister
A religious sister (abbreviated ''Sr.'' or Sist.) in the Catholic Church is a woman who has taken public vows in a religious institute dedicated to apostolic works, as distinguished from a nun who lives a cloistered monastic life dedicated to pr ...
and pharmacist.
[Our People - Sister Mary Gabriel, MBE]
retrieved 18 May 2016.
Background
Barron was born in
Waihi in 1904 to George and Margaret Barron, she was educated at Waihi High School and Waihi School of Mines. She later apprenticed in pharmacy with her father. She was named a
Member of the Pharmaceutical Society (MPS) in 1925.
[
]
Religious life
She joined the Sisters of Mercy in 1929 in Auckland and having previously studied music teaching. She took her religious vows three years later, taking the name Sister Mary Gabriel. She taught music at Otahuhu Convent from 1933 to 1937.[
]
Pharmacist
She founded the pharmacy at the Mater Misericordiae Hospital (now Mercy Hospital) in 1937 and served as its primary pharmacist from 1937 until 1975, when she retired. During that time she was a foundation member of the New Zealand Hospital Pharmacists' Association and of Auckland branch of the Pharmaceutical Society. She was one of the first New Zealand pharmacists to be made a Fellow of the Pharmaceutical Society and the first New Zealand woman to be made a Fellow of the Pharmaceutical Society.[
]
Death
She died on 29 February 1988, aged 83.[
]
Affiliations/Honours
* Foundation Member, New Zealand Hospital Pharmacists's Association
* Member, Auckland Branch of the Pharmaceutical Society
* Fellow of the Pharmaceutical Society in New Zealand
* In the 1975 New Year Honours
The New Year Honours 1975 were appointments in many of the Commonwealth realms of Queen Elizabeth II to various orders and honours to reward and highlight good works by citizens of those countries. They were announced on 1 January 1975 to celeb ...
, she was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations,
and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...
, for services to the community.
See also
References
External links
*
PIPL directory for name Muriel Barron
{{DEFAULTSORT:Barron, Muriel
1904 births
1988 deaths
New Zealand Members of the Order of the British Empire
New Zealand pharmacists
People from Auckland
Sisters of Mercy
People from Waihi
20th-century New Zealand Roman Catholic nuns
Women pharmacists
20th-century pharmacists