SISTER RITA REDMOND, OSU

MAPLE MOUNT, Ky. -- Sister Rita Redmond, 81, an Ursuline Sister of Mount Saint Joseph, died Sept. 3 at Mount Saint Joseph, in her 63rd year of religious life. She was a native of Fort Scott.

Sister Rita was an Ursuline of Paola, Kan., before the merger of that community with Mount Saint Joseph in 2008. She was born to the late William Alphonsus and Josephine Theresa Redmond. Her former religious name was Sister Mary de Lourdes.

Sister Rita was a born teacher, and stayed in contact with students she had from 60 years earlier.

She was a multi-tasker before that word was invented and always looked for an opportunity to help someone in need.

Sister Rita taught in St. Patrick's School in Paola, from 1950-57, then St. Patrick/Holy Trinity School from 1957-59. She taught at Bishop Miege High School in Shawnee Mission from 1959-68, and at Sacred Heart School in Bonner Springs from 1968-69. She was coordinator of educational materials at the Lakemary Center from 1969-95, and was librarian of the East Central Kansas Special Education Materials Center from 1974-2001. She worked in internal ministry at the Paola Motherhouse from 2001 until her move to Maple Mount in 2009.

Survivors include the members of her religious community.

The funeral mass will be at 10:30 a.m. Thursday at Mount Saint Joseph, where visitation will begin Wednesday at 4 p.m., with a wake service following at 6:30 p.m.

Glenn Funeral Home and Crematory, Owensboro, is in charge of arrangements.

Gifts in memory of Sister Rita may take the form of donations to the Ursuline Sisters of Mount Saint Joseph, 8001 Cummings Road, Maple Mount, Ky., 42356.