Sister Virgina Anne Fannin, CSJ

Sister Virginia Anne Fannin, baptized Mary Patricia, was born in Chicago, Illinois, entered the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet in 1948, and was received into the novitiate in 1949. She received a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Fontbonne College (now University), St. Louis in 1957.

Sister Virginia Anne began her service in the field of education in 1951. She taught in St. Louis, Missouri, at St. Mary Grade School until 1957, before moving to Hawaii. In Hawaii, she taught in Waipahu at St. Joseph Grade School, in Maui at Christ the King, in Kailua at St. Anthony Grade School and in Honolulu at St. Theresa Grade School.

Sister Virginia moved back to the continental United States in 1966 to teach in Chicago for one year at St. Viator Grade School, then one year in Peoria, Illinois, at St. Cecilia Grade School. In 1967, she moved to Mobile, Alabama, to teach at St. Matthew Grade School for one year.

Sister Virginia lived in Kansas City, Missouri, from 1969 to 1972. She worked at St. Joseph Hospital as a clerical worker and was a student at Research Medical Hospital. She then moved to Hancock, Michigan, and served the next six years as a medical records technician at St. Joseph Community Hospital. She moved back to Kansas City in 1976 and served as St. Joseph Medical Center in the same role as a medical records technician.

Sister Virginia returned to her birthplace of Chicago in 1978 to serve as a receptionist at DePaul University. She spent the next 21 years in service at St. Viator Grade School/Parish, serving as a religious education instructor from 1979 until 1992, librarian from 1970 until 1998, and parish sacristan from 1996 until 2000.

Sister Virginia served as the librarian at Bridgeport Catholic Academy in Chicago. The following year, she was a volunteer librarian/tutor at Bridgeport.

Sister Virginia then went to Nazareth Living Center in St. Louis to serve as a sacristan and later retired there, where she carries out her ministry of prayer and presence.

Click here to make a donation in honor of Sister Virginia.