Maria Navarro

SISTER ANTOINETTE NAVARRO OSF

1929 - 2024

Maria Socorro Navarro was born to Salome and Antonio Navarro on February 23, 1929 in Los Angeles, CA. and died at Marian Convent in Santa Maria, CA on Saturday, March 16, 2024. She was the oldest of ten siblings, three other sisters and six brothers. The Catholic faith was a part of the daily life of this family, so it was no surprise when Maria Socorro entered the novitiate of the Sisters of St. Francis of Penance and Christian Charity in February of 1949 in Sierra Madre, CA. Antoinette became her religious name after her father, and St. Anthony of Padua, to whom she had a life-long devotion. She professed her perpetual vows on August 17, 1954 and embarked on a ministry of nursing. As one of her brothers said years later: She wrote the nursing book before she studied with all the experience she had caring for all the cuts and bruises of her younger siblings. She earned an RN degree from Mt. St. Mary's College in 1955. Her nursing ministry was exercised in various ways as Director of Nursing, Head Surgical Nurse, Nursing Director of Pediatrics and Director of Emergency Room Nursing. Some of the places she served included Sacred Heart Hospital in Havre, Montana, St. Francis Hospital in Lynwood, CA, Rancho Los Amigos County Hospital in Downey, CA and Marian Medical Center in Santa Maria, CA. For nearly ten years she ministered as a Social Worker at St. Francis Center in downtown Los Angeles as Director of Services. From 1969 to 1972 she ministered as nurse and midwife in Orizabita, Mexico. Her gift for Spiritual Direction was used at St. Joseph's Seminary in Mountain View followed by another nursing ministry in the infirmary of the Franciscan Friars in Santa Barbara. Moving to Arizona in 1995 she served as the parish nurse at St. Steven's Church in Sun Lakes until 2002. From 2002 to 2010 she volunteered at Marian Medical Center in the Social Services Department. Officially retired in 2010, she lived in the Rosemead/greater Los Angeles area including Hermosa Beach, until September of 2022 when she moved to Marian Convent with her cockatiel Bird. She is survived by all her brothers and two of her sisters, as well as the Sisters of her religious community. Her quiet, unassuming, loving presence endeared her to everyone around her. A Vigil Service will take place in the Marian Convent Chapel on Wednesday, March 20 at 7 pm. Mass of the Resurrection will be on Thursday, March 21 at 11 am with Fr. Ponchie Vasquez, OFM presiding.

Arrangements are in the care of Magner-Maloney Funeral Home and Crematory. Sympathy notes and words of support may be expressed at www.magnermaloney.com.