s. rita mcgovern

50th Jubilee
Sister Rita was born in Chicago, Ill. She entered the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet in 1961 and was received into the novitiate in 1962 as Sister Thomas Annette.

She received her LPN from St. Mary’s Hospital Nursing School in 1966. She has received certifcations in developing minsistries with aging and in gerontological studies.

For more than 40 years, Sister Rita has ministered in elder care. Much of her career has been devoted to Nazareth Living Center where she has served as a nurse, director of resident services and most recently the director of admissions/marketing. She also served the Sisters of St. Joseph as retirement community director and as consultant on aging.

Sister has also served as a nurse in Michigan and Kansas City, Mo.

In 1984 Sister Rita received the Ambassador Award for the Special School Students as well as the Special Ambassador Award in 2011, which recognizes exceptional efforts on behalf of the students while working with the students at Nazareth Living Center. In 2009 she received the Employee of the Year Award from the Missouri Association of Homes of the Aging from the state of Missouri.

Sister Rita retired in 2011 but continues in volunteer service at Nazareth Living Center as part-time ambassador. 

One of eight children, Sister Rita continues to enjoy the company of her close-knit Irish family. She enjoys watching sports and is an avid fan of the Chicago Cubs. She also enjoys college football but especially attending a Notre Dame game in South Bend, Indiana. Go Irish!