Shirley Kocinsky, SCN, 76, was born August 16, 1949, in Pittsburgh, Pa., to Michael Kocinsky and Agnes Senn. She died March 19, 2026, in Louisville, Ky.

She entered the Vincentian Sisters of Charity (VSC) as a Postulant in 1967. In 2008, she transferred her vows when the Vincentian Sisters of Charity merged with the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth.

Sister Shirley was born the first of four children. Her family lived in Southside, an area of Pittsburgh with a beautiful panoramic view of downtown. Her mother Agnes worked part-time in various positions and Michael, her father, worked in the steel mills. Education was important to her parents, and they worked hard to provide opportunities for their children. Shirley attended St. Matthew’s Grade School and then spent her next four years of high school as an aspirant at Vincentian Academy in North Hills, Pa. In 1967, after graduation, Shirley made the choice to enter the Vincentian Sisters of Charity.

During her two-year novitiate, Shirley attended LaRoche College in Pennsylvania. Once she left the novitiate, in 1972, she went to Mercy Hospital School of Nursing where she obtained a diploma as a registered nurse. She later earned a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing from LaRoche College.

Her first mission was St. Vincent Hospital in Monett, Mo. At the time, St. Vincent had seventy-eight beds with the Sisters living on the top floor of the hospital. As part of the labor and delivery nursing team of St. Vincent Hospital in Monett, Mo. Sister Shirley assisted with over 1100 deliveries. Sister Shirley also worked at St Francis Hospital in Pittsburgh, PA.

Sister Shirley served her VSC Community as the infirmarian at the Motherhouse in Pittsburgh in 1974 and later from 1995-2008. For the next 10 years until her retirement Sister Shirley worked for the Vincentian Child Care Center in Pittsburgh. As receptionist she delighted in giving the children a sweet treat as they went home each evening. Once retired, Sister Shirley lived with her religious community at St. Louise Convent in Pittsburgh for a few years before moving to Nazareth, Ky.

Sister Shirley is survived by her siblings, Carol Devine and Michele Conway, by her nieces and nephews, and her SCN Community. She is preceded in death by her parents and her brother, Michael J. Kocinsky.

Sister Shirley’s arrangements:

• Visitation will be at 4 p.m. on Monday, March 30, in St. Vincent de Paul Church.
• Wake will follow that evening at 6:30 p.m.
• The Funeral Mass will be held at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, March 31, in the church.
• Burial will follow in the Nazareth Cemetery.
• The Wake and Mass will be live-streamed at nazareth.org/live.

Funeral Arrangements are being handled by Houghlin Greenwell Funeral Home, 1475 New Shepherdsville Road, Bardstown, Ky. 40004. Memorials may be offered to the Office of Mission Advancement, PO Box 9, Nazareth, Ky., 40048.

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Reflection for Shirley’s Funeral

Phil 4:4-8, John 16:20,22,27,33

As I begin this reflection, I want you all to know that the Readings from Scripture and the songs both for today’s Liturgy and last evening’s wake were chosen by Sister Shirley. I think she wants to share with us that she is at peace. In that moment of her death, I believe she ran joyfully into the arms of our loving God. In this spirit, she is rejoicing in the fullness of love and joy.

In our world today, it takes courage to speak of the peace and Joy that Christ promises us. Joy requires Faith. The world is beset by many problems, the future is burdened by so many uncertainties, fears and evil. As Pope Francis said: “Yet, Christians are a joyful people and their joy is not something superficial, but deep and stable, because Joy is a gift from God that fills life. Our joy comes from the certainty that “God is at hand”! God is close with tenderness, mercy, forgiveness, and love.”

The Joy of which these scripture passages speak cannot be manufactured. It is not something that we can create for ourselves. It is something that sort of happens in a moment, in a flash, and then we catch ourselves in a joyful state…recognizing a precious grace, a gift from God, who lifts us up.

Shirley knew moments of joy throughout her life…with her family, with her friends and in her life as a Sister of Charity, as well as through her various ministries. I witnessed that joy in Shirley at St Vincent’s hospital as she tenderly placed a newborn into the loving hands of its mother. And she did many, many times as she assisted at over 1100 births. Shirley experienced this joy in special moments with her family, the weddings of her sisters Carol and Shelly and the welcoming of their children. She delighted in seeing her brother Michael playing with his beloved dog, Sheena. Shirley knew joy when a patient went home for rehab, stronger and renewed. Her delight and joy in being with the children at the Vincentian Child Care, as she greeted them and their parents each morning, and sent the children home each evening with a wave …” see you tomorrow. Here is a little treat for your ride home.”

But Shirley also experienced sorrow and pain, grief, and suffering. The deaths of her parents, and her younger brother, Michael. How her heart ached at having to tell a mother that her child had died, or to lose a patient to death, despite her dedicated care. Shirley knew fear of being mugged on her way to work, the pain of falling and breaking both wrists, and the vulnerability of needing the care and support of others.

Shirley could identify with this passage from John’s Gospel…with the realization of weeping and mourning, grieving, feelings of anguish, at times a sense of loss and pain and lack of understanding WHY!

We are aware of the sufferings she endured during the last year and a half: her cancer diagnosis, the discovery of some heart issues that needed to be addressed before her cancer surgery. her recovery from surgery, followed by months of chemo and radiation. Then a short time later to encounter an abdominal issue which required more surgery and eventually left her fighting a severe infection, which led to Shirley being on the ventilator for eight days. But to the surprise of all, with the prayerful support of family, friends, sisters and associates, Shirley began a slow process of recovery.

Even in the midst of all these events, Shirley found some moments of joy and peace: in the faithful, caring and loving presence of those who stayed by her side, who offered her compassion and love. Shirley shared with me that she knows she was supported by the prayers of all. She placed herself in God’s hands and trusted that no matter what happened God was with her. She placed her trust in the words Jesus speaks in this Gospel of John:

“I have told you all this, so that you might have peace in me. In the world you will have trouble, but take courage, I have conquered the world.”

Even as Shirley struggled with her latest physical reality, she sought to regain her strength, praying for moments of joy and peace…In the beautiful tree outside her window, especially after the snow that fell in December. In listening to the music of the Gaithers Brothers and finding comfort in song and word. She delighted in the visits and phone calls of her family, friends sisters and associates. Special were the surprise visits that brought a hoagie or pizza with laughter, stories, and memories.

About a week before Shirley died, she spoke of her desire to return to Carrico, where, despite the pain and loss of leaving Pittsburgh, she found new friendship, love, and gracious care. Shirley was even heard to say: “Living in Carrico is a little bit of heaven for me.”

Shirley also shared that she realized that she still had a way to go to regain her strength, and that she might not make it. But she delighted in her memories of days in Carrico and at Nazareth.

Despite all her prolonged suffering of the past year or so, Shirley’s death came rather quickly. I treasure our evening phone conversations, and one of her last comments to me was “I am not afraid to die. I know it will be God who calls me, and I am going to say Yes.”

As we gather around this table of Eucharist, let us rejoice, for Shirley is with her loving God, experiencing the joy and peace she longed for throughout her life. Let us, too, embrace the moments of joy that come to us trusting that God is with us in all things.

Let us rejoice in God’s desire to bless our hearts with joy and fill us with serenity and peace. Let us praise God’s holy name, for we believe and trust that Shirley is resting in the loving embrace of our God, whom she sought to know, love, and serve during her life. Shirley, we rejoice with you as you now know true peace and joy.