Assunta's Sister Enda Ryan passes away, aged 95

Sister Enda Ryan, the founding headmistress of Assunta Girls School in Petaling Jaya has passed away.

She was 95 years of age.

"It is with a heavy heart that I share the news of our beloved Sr. Enda's passing from this world at 11am today," said Sister Elizabeth Tan of the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary (FMM) in an email today.

Born Eileen Philomena Ryan on Dec 30, 1928, in Galbally, Ireland, she joined the FMM in 1947.

She arrived in Malaya in 1954 and immediately helped establish the Assunta primary school.

She then set up Assunta secondary school in 1958, becoming the first headmistress of the establishment.

A much-beloved figure, she became a Malaysian citizen in October 1966 and served in Assunta until her retirement in 1989.

She had received a number of awards and in 2007, was conferred the Darjah Kebesaran Dato' Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah by the Sultan of Selangor, which carries the title Datin Paduka. - Mkini