Sister Lillian Curtis, OP, 85, a member of the Sisters of St. Dominic, Amityville, for 65 years, died Sept. 11.

She entered the order from St. Raymond’s parish, Lynbrook, L.I., and took the religious name Sister Mary Leah. She pronounced her religious vows on Aug. 7, 1943.

She ministered as a domestic at the following convents: St. Agnes, Rockville Centre; Blessed Virgin Mary Help of Christians, Woodside; St. Clement Pope, South Ozone Park; Corpus Christi, Mineola; and Presentation, Jamaica. From 1949 to 1955, she worked at Immaculate Conception Seminary, Huntington.

From 1975 to 1996, she ministered to the sick and served as a member of the congregation’s health committee.

Since 2003, she has lived at Maria Regina Residence, Brentwood.

She was predeceased by her twin brother, Eugene. She is survived by her sister, Rita MacNeish of Maryland.

Michael J. Devine, the brother of Father James T. Devine, who lives at St. Rose of Lima, Rockaway Beach, died Sept. 10.

A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated Sept. 14 at St. Rose of Lima Church. Burial was in Mount St. Mary Cemetery, Flushing.

Francesco Loccisano, 17, a senior at Xaverian H.S., Bay Ridge, died Sept. 14 after a long battle with cancer.

Loccisano was featured in The Tablet in March, 2007 as a winner in the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity Essay Contest. In his essay, he wrote, “With all the many trials and tribulations, both large and small, which are presented to all people, the greatest and most powerful tool to rejoice in humanity as well as aid humanity, is a very simple one – prayer.”

A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated at St. Ephrem’s Church, Dyker Heights, Sept. 18, and burial followed in Green-Wood Cemetery.

He is survived by his mother, Camille, his father, Rocco, and two younger brothers, Nicholas and Christopher.

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