Sister Rose Anthony, 90

    Daughter of Charity Sister  Rose Anthony D’Alfonso, D.C., a nurse for many years, died Feb. 25 at Our Lady of Wisdom Healthcare Center. She was 90 and had served for 59 years in religious life.
    Her funeral Mass was celebrated March 2 at Our Lady of Wisdom Healthcare Center. Burial followed at St. Vincent’s Cemetery in New Orleans.
    Sister Rose Anthony, a native of New Orleans, was the daughter of Anthony and Mary (Puccio) D’Alfonso.  She is survived by two brothers, Joseph and Anthony.
    Sister Rose Anthony graduated from John McDonogh High School in New Orleans in 1940 and completed business courses in 1941 at E.D. White High School in New Orleans.
    She earned a diploma in nursing from Hotel Dieu School of Nursing in New Orleans and her certificate in psychiatric nursing from DePaul Psychiatric Hospital in New Orleans in 1946.
    In 1953, she earned her bachelor of science in nursing from Louisiana State University. She completed her master of science in nursing at the The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., in 1962, and she earned a Hospital Executive Development Certificate from St. Louis University’s Center for Hospital Continuing Education in 1969.
    Following her initial formation, Sister Rose Anthony  served in many Catholic care facilities. She was a psychiatric unit supervisor at St. Vincent Hospital in St. Louis and then served as the director of nursing service and administrator at St. Vincent’s. She ministered as the psychiatric nurse coordinator at Providence Hospital in Waco, Texas.
    She was appointed assistant director of psychiatric nursing service at Charity Hospital in New Orleans in 1971, and from 1974-77 she ministered in North Dakota and St. Louis.
    She served for nearly 30 years at the National Hansen’s Disease Center in Carville, La.
    In 2003, Sister Rose Anthony entered the ministry of prayer at Malta Square Residence in New Orleans. She lived there until 2006, when she moved to Our Lady of Wisdom Healthcare Center.
     Sister Rose Anthony loved the New Orleans Saints and was a great fan of LSU football. She also enjoyed Mardi Gras parades and loved the French Quarter, where she was born and raised.
    Sister Rose Anthony is survived by her two older brothers: Joseph D’Alfonso (and his wife, Philippa) of Metairie, and Anthony D’Alfonso of Slidell.
    Donations in her memory may be made to the Daughters of Charity, Province of St. Louise, 4330 Olive Street, St. Louis, Mo., 63108.