SISTER MARY ANGELICA, LOFTUS, GERTRUDE MARY, SSA, June 24, 1908 – January 10, 2008, R. I. P.

+++  LOFTUS, Gertrude Mary (Sr. Mary Anglelica), born June 24, 1908, in Greenwood, B. C., of Irish/Scottish ancestry, died at Saint Anne’s Residence in Victoria, B. C., on January 10, 2008, at 99 years of age.  ++   Having made contact with the Sisters in Kitsilano, she entered the Sisters of Saint Anne on January 10, 1925, and pronounced her vows at Saint Anne’s Academy, Victoria, B. C., on February 2, 1927.  Last February she celebrated her 80th anniversary as a Sister of Saint Anne.  ++  Despite twice being stricken with TB, Sister Mary Anglelica’s years of ministry were many and varied, and brought her to several missions in British Columbia.  Her ministry encompassed cooking, housekeeping, laundry, gardening, assisting the nurses on night duty, serving meals to patients, and stamp collecting, as well as teaching crafts to patients and the handicapped.  ++  She ministered in Campbell River Hospital, St. Augustine’s in Vancouver, Smithers Hospital, St. Joseph’s Hospital, and for 24 years at Mount St. Mary Hospital in Victoria, at the sisters’ residences on Johnson Street, Mount Saint Angela, and Begbie Street.  It was while stationed at Mount Saint Mary that, in addition to her other responsibilities, Sister Mary Angelica began making pottery and teaching basket weaving.  She served in volunteer capacity at the Saint Vincent de Paul Store and at Arbutus Crafts, teaching basket weaving for 22 years.  She retired to Saint Ann’s Residence in 1989.  ++  Predeceased by her parents Mary Kennedy and John Patrick Loftus, sister Mrs. Irene Proctor (Leo), and cousin Joe (Marie) Loftus, she is survived by nieces Maureen (Norm) Okerstrom and Sheila (Duncan) Ross; several cousins: Gail Jones, Ann Cole, Bill Loftus, Pat Loftus, Terry Loftus, Joan Uede, Susan Hepburn, Betty Wallace, Mike Loftus, and David Loftus; and her religious community, the Sisters of Saint Anne. ++  Prayers were offered January 14 at Saint Anne’s Residence, 2474 Arbutus Road, Victoria, B. C.; where Mass of the Resurrection was offered on January 15.  Interment Hatley Memorial Gardens.  +++  This article was originally published by the B. C. Catholic weekly newspaper, on January 21, 2008 in the OBITUARIES section of the CLASSIFIEDS, on page 14, with a black and white photo.  +++  A link to the Saint Anne’s Residence at Queenswood is found on the blogroll under the heading ‘QUEENSWOOD,’ in the tags, or at this address: http://www.queenswoodcentre.com/newsletter.html +++  B. C. CATHOLIC newspaper website is provided in the CCC WE BLOG blogroll to the right under the heading ‘Catholic, B.C.’  +++