Obituary: Sister Rita Owczarek, 95

Sister Rita Owczarek, a Maryknoll Sister of Ossining for 65 years and was known for her feistiness, passed away on June 16 at Maryknoll Sisters Residential Care IV at age 95.

Owczarek was born on Oct. 12 in Chicago where she gradated from Holy Family Academy in 1935. She also graduated from Mary Immaculate School of Nursing, Jamaica, NY. She received her religious name, Sister Constance Marie, from the Maryknoll Sisters in 1948.

Owczarek spent most of her time as a nurse and health care educator in Nicaragua. She was so dedicated to her mission that she was even shot by a bullet that ran through her Bible and hit her leg. According to her obituary, she didn’t even notice that she was shot until one of the told her it was bleeding while boarding a bus.

After working in Nicaragua for many years, she was assigned to work on the nursing staff of Bethany House, the congregation’s residence for elderly and infirm Sisters in Ossining in 1974. She was then sent back to Nicaragua where she worked at the government clinic/hospital, cared for Salvadoran refugees and assisted in pastoral work until 1993. 

She also worked in various volunteer roles, particularly related to peace and justice concerns from 1994 to 2006 before returning to the Maryknoll Sisters Center in Ossining due to declining health.

She lived at Maryknoll Residential Care in Ossining until her death. She is one of ten children born to Joseph and Constance Owczarek is survived by her sister, Sylvia Lynch of Chicago.

A Vesper service will be held for Sister Rita on Tuesday, June 25, 2013, at 4:15 p.m., followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, June 26, 2013, both to be held in the Annunciation Chapel at the Maryknoll Sisters Center in Ossining. Burial will be in the Maryknoll Sisters Cemetery at Maryknoll, NY.

Dorsey Funeral Home, 14 Emwilton Pl. Ossining, is handling the arrangements.