Sister Rita Wasilewski

Born in Norwich, CT. on July 30, 1934, she was the youngest of five children born to Josephine and Stanislaus (Lentkowska) Wasilewski. A dedicated student and spirited teenager, she attended St. Joseph’s Catholic School where her love for learning and love of children blossomed. At the age of 16, she entered the Congregation of the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth.

Sister Rita earned her bachelor’s degree in education from Holy Family University in Philadelphia, PA and a master’s degree in social work from St. Louis University in Missouri. Sister served in Our Lady of Czestochowa and Holy Cross elementary schools in the diocese of Brooklyn for nearly twelve years.

In 1964, Sister Rita joined the staff at Little Flower Children’s Services, Wading River, New York. There she remained for twenty seven years in various roles – Child Care Worker, Social Worker in the Foster Care Program, Administrator for the Spiritual Development Program and Administrator of the Cottage Environment Department. In addition to her work at Little Flower Children Services, Sister Rita was also employed as a Social worker for Catholic Charities in Bridgeport, Connecticut and Administrator of St. Mary’s Villa in Ambler, PA.

As Sister’s eyesight and her health began to fail, Sister Rita retired to join her Sisters at Immaculate Heart of Mary Convent, Monroe, CT on September 4, 2019. Whether through visits, phone calls, or emails, Sister stayed connected with her family, friends, co-workers and former students. As her health diminished further and her energy waned, she chose hospice care. Sister Rita passed peacefully on April 29, 2025.

Preceding Sr. Rita in death were her parents, Josephine and Stanislaus, her brothers, Stanley and Joseph, and her sisters Isabel and Mary, nephews Arthur and Michael and her niece Catherine. She is survived by her brother-in-law Norman Landino, her nieces Linda Ringhoffer, Kristen Agnihotri and Diane Nash, and grandnieces and grandnephews.

A wake will be held at Immaculate Heart of Mary Convent on May 5, 2025, from 10 to 11:30 a.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will follow at 11:30 a.m., in the Immaculate Heart of Mary Chapel.