NEW ORLEANS — An education leader and life-long advocate for New Orleans children has died.
Sister Jennie Jones, the long-time principal of St. Mary's Academy, passed on Sunday, Feb. 26, at the age of 70.
Sr. Jennie was the principal at St. Mary's Academy for more than 20 years and kept the school open after Hurricane Katrina, when the City of New Orleans planned to turn the school's campus into a green space. She stepped down as principal in 2022 due to health issues.
She was also the founder and principal of Marian Central Catholic Middle School and served as the principal at Corpus Christi School.
"She touched thousands of lives in our community and to have a life of service is something that not many people can do and this woman dedicated her entire life to educating young black children in particular," WWL-TV's April Dupre, one of her former students, said.
She was honored as one of nine "Champions of Change in Catholic Education" by then-President Barack Obama in 2012.
Services will be held on Wednesday, March 1, at the Sisters of the Holy Family Motherhouse Chapel on Chef Menteur Highway. Visitation will be held from 8 to 10 a.m. with rosary at 9:15 a.m. and a mass of christian burial at 10 a.m.
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