Saturday, December 10, 2011

Rita Louise GUERTIN, RSM (1913-2011)

Rita Louise GUERTIN
(Sr. George, RSM)
daughter of
Jean-Baptiste GUERTIN
Angéline BOURQUE/BURKE
died Wedneday, December 7, 2011 at the age of 98 years.
The niece of George Albert GUERTIN, the 3rd Roman Catholic Bishop of Manchester, NH, Rita had been a member of the Sisters of Mercy for 72 years. She was known in religion as Sr. George. A graduate of Mount St. Mary College in Hooksett, NH, she obtained an M.A. in French from Boston College & did further studies in French at the "Institut Catholique" in Paris, FRANCE.
Sr. George taught languages (principally French & Spanish) for 35 years at the high school and; college levels. She was a teacher at St. Joseph High School for Girls in Manchester, NH and at Mount Saint Mary Seminary in Nashua and Mount St. Mary College in Hooksett. From 1957 until 1978 she taught French, Spanish, and Latin, and was head of the department of modern languages at Mount Saint Mary College. After the school closed in 1978, Sr. George worked at Catholic Medical Center in Manchester, NH where she was an assistant to the chaplain, making pastoral visits to patients. For 5 years she volunteered as a tutor at the Hillsborough House of Correction in Manchester, where she taught English to French- and Spanish-speaking men. She also tutored local students in French. In 1989, she moved to Warde Health Center in Windham, N.H. There she helped in the center’s gift shop, and visited and prayed with the residents.
Sr. George died 2011-12-07 at the Warde Health Center, 21 Searles Rd., Windham, NH. Burial was at St. Joseph Cemetery, Bedford, NH.
 Learn more about the
Sisters of Mercy
and the
Searles Castle,
where their novitiate was located,
by clicking on the title above.
Also, check out the link below to read an article about the "Going Away" party that was given for Rita Louise GUERTIN before she entered the convent of the Sisters of Mercy and became Sr. George. Very interesting considering that it was 72 years ago

C'est la vie radio program re: Franco-Americans & others

C'est la vie
by
Connie LEMONDE
Each week, Connie summarizes the biography of a local individual, whom she has interviewed &  who has accepter to share the story of a part of his or her life with the listeners. Oftentimes, these are persons of Franco-American descent since WOON 1240 is a Rhode Island station, a state to which many people from Québec immigrated to find work in the mills. The 5 minute biography is in English, of course, and, thus far, many listeners have found it interesting. You may even find a long-lost relative. A new program is available each week from Saturday to Saturday, 
CLICK on the title above
and then
CLICK on C'est la vie
and
Enjoy!