Lorena E. Tyson ’55 Opened Doors and Held Them Open for Others

Saint Elizabeth University mourns the passing of Lorena E. Tyson ’55, a trailblazer in science education, a devoted alumna, and a lifelong advocate for equity and opportunity. She passed away on January 8, 2026, leaving behind a legacy defined by quiet determination, intellectual rigor, and unwavering service. Her life story is inseparable from the mission of Saint Elizabeth University and from the generations of students and colleagues she inspired through teaching, leadership, and example.

Born on December 1, 1933, in her family’s home on North Fullerton Avenue in Montclair, New Jersey, Lorena arrived nearly a month early, foreshadowing the resolve and independence that would define her life. She was raised by parents whose own journeys reflected resilience and sacrifice. Her mother, Clarie Flora Love Tyson, came north from Mississippi, where she had been a sixth-grade teacher but was barred from teaching in Montclair because of her race, instead working as a domestic caregiver. Her father, Alfred Emmanuel Tyson, was born in 1897 in Nevis in the British West Indies, orphaned as a child, raised in Bermuda, and later became a respected business manager in Montclair, most notably at Rudd’s Dairy. Despite discriminatory lending practices, he succeeded in purchasing the family home at 15 Montague Place, where Lorena lived for most of her life.

Growing up in Montclair, Lorena experienced both the richness of a diverse community and the constraints of segregation. She attended Immaculate Conception School through high school as one of only two black students, excelling academically while enduring exclusions from stores, restaurants, theaters, and public transportation. She witnessed communities building institutions of their own, including St. Peter Claver Church, founded by Montclair’s Black Catholics, with her father among those instrumental in its creation. These early experiences shaped her understanding of systems, fairness, and the importance of building spaces where dignity is affirmed.

After graduating high school in 1951, Lorena briefly attended Montclair State as a mathematics major before transferring to the College of Saint Elizabeth. The contrast was immediate. She often spoke of how welcomed and respected she felt by the sisters, faculty, and students. At Saint Elizabeth, she majored in chemistry with a minor in mathematics, graduating in 1955. For a time, she was the only black student enrolled at the College. She supported herself by working nights as a nurses’ aide at Mountainside Hospital and in the College library, and she represented Saint Elizabeth at national conferences through the National Federation of Black Catholic College Students. Saint Elizabeth did more than educate her. It affirmed her sense of belonging and purpose.

"Proverbs 31 describes Lorena perfectly: A woman who has a strong character, wisdom, diligence, goodness, and faithfulness. Lorena was our Virtuous Woman." 

Ellieen Ancrum Ingbritsen, Ed.D. ’80, President, Alumnae/i Association

Her professional life reflected that same clarity of mission. Lorena became a science educator, teaching chemistry, physics, and mathematics in New Jersey parochial schools, including Sacred Heart Academy in Hoboken and St. Joseph’s High School in Paterson. She spent nine years teaching in St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands before returning home, where she also taught at Essex County College and Kean College. She earned a Master of Science in Chemistry from The Catholic University of America with support from a National Science Foundation grant. In 1970, she joined Montclair High School, where she taught for 27 years, eventually becoming department chair, introducing the AP Chemistry curriculum, and mentoring countless students. Her engaging and demanding approach to teaching earned her the prestigious Princeton Award for Teaching Chemistry, making her one of only two recipients statewide, as well as Teacher of the Year honors.

Her bond with Saint Elizabeth University remained constant throughout her life. Lorena served for decades as a class agent, board member, and president of the Alumnae/i Association. She helped establish scholarship funds, including the Sister Marian José Smith Scholarship Fund, served on the Educational Opportunity Fund Advisory Board, and worked to secure resources for students navigating the transition to college life. In 2000, she was awarded a Doctor of Laws Honoris Causa in recognition of her extraordinary dedication to education and to the University. Even in retirement, she remained active in alumni leadership, civic organizations, and professional associations, while also pursuing a love of travel and lifelong learning.

Lorena Tyson was unparalleled in her devotion to her God, her faith, her family, her friends, and in her generosity and commitment to the many organizations she so thoroughly embraced. There are not enough words to capture all that she was to us. She was a dear friend, and she will be missed but we will always have her at our side as our personal patron saint in heaven.

Sister Jacquelyn Balasia ’72, SC, Director-at-Large, Past Vice-President, Alumnae/i Association

Lorena was a trailblazer whose greatest impact came not from seeking firsts, but from sustaining excellence over time. She believed deeply that education is both a privilege and a responsibility, and she lived that belief every day. Her passing on January 8, 2026, marks the loss of a remarkable educator and alumna, but her influence endures in the classrooms she transformed, the students she mentored, and the University she helped shape. Saint Elizabeth University honors her life with gratitude and pride and remembers her as a woman who understood that lasting change is built patiently, thoughtfully, and always in service to others.