Honoring Liz Healy '94 - A life experienced to the fullest 

The Ursuline School community deeply mourns the passing of Board Co-Chair and devoted alumna Elizabeth Healy '94. Liz died peacefully on February 8, 2026, at the age of 49 after facing cancer with courage and fortitude. Read her full obituary here.

Liz embodied the values that Ursuline strives to cultivate in every student: faith and integrity, lifelong learning, leadership, generosity, and commitment to Serviam, "I will serve." She chose a career in management consulting, inspired to pursue business by the hands-on learning experiences at Ursuline. She once revealed that she learned more about leadership from watching former principal and president Sr JB in action than from observing CEOs over many years.

Ursuline was not only Liz's alma mater but also a prominent thread woven throughout her family history. Her aunt, Sr. Regina Kehoe, served as principal of Ursuline, shaping the very community that helped form their family. A niece and several cousins also carry the Ursuline legacy of shared values and service. Liz's daughter, Ella, attended Ursuline for middle school, extending the family's bond with our school community. These deep family ties and the cherished sisterhood stood with Liz through her final days.

Liz graduated from Cornell University, began her career at Deloitte, and later joined IBM, quickly rising to a senior position designing solutions to complex problems. At each step, Liz was a top performer, but she made it a priority to give to others because, above all, Liz believed that serving others was the essence of life. 

She initiated service days and mentorships at her places of work, and early in her career, Liz took a six-week sabbatical to volunteer with a Catholic community-based initiative in Peru. In an extremely poor area of the country, Liz helped provide hot meals to senior citizens, and she organized recreational activities and prayer services.

Liz said that her Ursuline education was the best gift she ever received, and she devoted energy to giving back to the school. She served on the Board of Trustees for 14 years, providing thoughtful guidance. She donated generously to capital campaigns, special events, and annual funds. Together with her husband, James Reichbach, Liz established The Healy Family Scholarship in honor of her parents, who were known for their kindness, generosity of heart, strong faith, and commitment to helping others. 

Liz also engaged with Ursuline current students, providing them with rare opportunities to visit IBM, where they greeted Watson, the artificial intelligence computer system, and spoke with senior computer professionals about the latest technologies. Liz also made possible an inspiring school assembly at which a senior IBM executive encouraged students to discover what they love, understand their strengths, and pursue work that brings both together.

Liz had plenty of life wisdom and generously offered advice to Ursuline students. She urged them to "find organizations and causes that you are passionate about and where you can personally make a difference."  She also said it was important to find and work with great people who will push them to grow every day. Notably, Liz shared lessons she learned from her favorite coaches when she was a student-athlete at Ursuline; she said that Coach Wooters and Coach Mitchell taught that "hard work pays off, don't take nonsense from anyone and trust your teammates - you rise and fall together as a team."

In 2022, doctors discovered that Liz had stage 4 colon cancer. She began treatment and also advocacy. In between multi-hour surgeries, chemo sessions, and radiation, Liz and her family worked tirelessly to press for increased federal funding for colorectal cancer research and to raise awareness and access to screening. Saving the lives of others became her goal. She cited "movement for a cause" as the best medicine for her mental well-being during these years, meaning she ran marathons, cycled, and knocked on the doors of Washington, DC, officials, transforming her personal struggle into meaningful advocacy.

In 2024, The Ursuline School bestowed the St. Ursula Award on Liz for her exceptional professional accomplishments and steadfast commitment to making a difference in the fight against colorectal cancer. Ten years earlier, we had honored Liz's devotion to the school, her embrace of Serviam, and the numerous ways that she realized the goals of an Ursuline education by presenting her with the St. Angela Award. She continued to display those values every day.

As the cancer treatments continued, Liz filled her "fight tank" by staying connected to family, friends, Ursuline classmates, marathon teammates, and many others. She especially treasured time with her family, traveling widely and seeking out every opportunity to create memories with those she loved. She did not meet her diagnosis with pity, but with purpose. She was busy living.

The intentionality and enthusiasm with which Liz approached life call to mind the words often attributed to Abraham Lincoln: "In the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years." Liz showed us how to live fully, with passion, purpose, and generosity. We will miss her tremendously, even as her example and influence will continue to inspire us.

The Visitation is Friday, February 13, 4 p.m. – 8 p.m. at the Fred H. McGrath Funeral Home, which is located at 20 Cedar Street, Bronxville, NY

The Funeral Mass is Saturday, February 14, at 9:45 a.m., at St. Joseph's Church, 15 Cedar Street, Bronxville, NY. 

To live stream the Mass, please click on the Church of St. Joseph Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/churchofsaintjoseph

Eternal rest grant unto her, O Lord, and let the perpetual light shine upon her. Amen.

May the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.