Sister Florence Richard

TAUNTON - Sister Florence Richard, SUSC (Sr. Marie Florencia) died July 4 at Longmeadow Nursing Home, Taunton, MA at the age of 94. A native of New Bedford, MA, Sister Florence was the daughter of the late Jean and Rosa (Rondeau) Richard. In addition to her Holy Union Sisters, she is survived by her sister Violet Cardin; a niece and a long-time friend, Mrs Sharon Queenan; and nieces Janet Noelte and her husband, David and Connie Sarrasen; two nephews, Bob and Steve Cardin. Her sisters, Julie Smalley and Blanche Richard predeceased her.

Sister Florence attended St. John Baptist High School in Pawtucket, RI. She entered the Holy Union Sisters in Fall River, MA on September 8, 1932 and professed her final vows March 19, 1940. She studied at the Sacred Heart School of Education, Fall River, MA and received a Bachelor of Education Degree from Catholic Teachers College, Providence RI and an MA degree in English from Boston College. She received a National Science Foundation grant to study math and took education courses at Boston College.

Sister Florence's teaching career spanned nearly fifty years in elementary schools in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Her first assignment was at Notre Dame School, Cambridge, MA where she taught grades two to seven. For twelve years, she taught at St. John the Baptist School, Pawtucket. In 1953 she began high school teaching, at Notre Dame High School, Cambridge, Rose Hawthorne School, Concord and Sacred Heart High School, Lawrence. She taught for one semester at Rivier College, Nashua, NH. In 1967 she returned to St. John Baptist High School as a teacher and then as librarian. She was one of the group of Holy Union sisters who staffed the newly consolidated Taunton Catholic Middle School in 1971 and taught there for 10 years.

She joined the Holy Union retirement community at St. Mary's Villa, Lowell in 1981 where she served as cook and continued her service to the elderly sisters at St. Mary's Convent, North Attleboro. When St. Mary's Convent closed, she moved to St. Anthony's Convent in Taunton. She joined the Holy Union community at The Landmark in 2007 and remained there until ill health forced her to move to Longmeadow Nursing Home, Taunton.

The wake will be at Sacred Heart Church, North Attleboro on Thursday, July 8 from 2:30-3:30 p.m. with a Vigil Service at 3:30 p.m. The Mass of Christian Burial will follow at 4 p.m.

Arrangements are by Sperry & McHoul Funeral Home, 15 Grove Street, North Attleboro. Burial will be Friday, July 9 at Notre Dame Cemetery, Pawtucket.

Donations in Sr. Florence's memory may be made to:

Holy Union Sisters Mission Advancement Office
PO BOX 410
MILTON MA 02186