Obituary of Sr. Loretta Wagner, OSF

Sister Loretta Wagner, OSF (1918 – 2018) died at Our Lady of Angels Retirement Home, Joliet, Illinois, on June 9, 2018.  A native of Chicago, Illinois, Sister Loretta Wagner was the eldest of four children born to the late Celia and Edward Wayrowski.  She was preceded in death by her parents and her sisters, Delphine Rankin and Sister M. Anne Wayrowski, OSF.  She is survived by her brother, Edward Wagner, living in Florida.  Sister Loretta was a member of the Sisters of St. Francis of Mary Immaculate for 83 years.

Sister Loretta was a member of St. Pascal Parish in Chicago, Illinois and through her early education at the parish school, she became acquainted with the Joliet Franciscan.  She entered the convent in September, 1934, with a desire to dedicate her life to the service of God’s people through the profession of nursing.  After graduating from St. Francis Academy (Joliet Catholic Academy) and receiving her Bachelor’s Degree from the College of St. Francis (University of St. Francis), Sister began her studies at St. Joseph School of Nursing in Joliet, obtaining her R.N in 1942.

In 1942 Sister Loretta began a 58 year ministry to the sick and elderly in various institutions of the Congregation and in hospitals in Houston, Texas and Chicago.  From 1956 to 1961 she was assigned to the College of St. Francis as the Resident Nurse along with the additional duties of Assistant Dean of Students, Supervisor of the Dorm and Instructor in Health Sciences.  In 1962 she became the first Community Health Supervisor for the Congregation.  In her duties as night supervisor at Resurrection Hospital in Chicago, she became friends with many of the patrol officers who brought trauma victims to the emergency room.

From 1990 until the present Sister has ministered to her family and to her Congregation, offering her nursing skills, her care and concern to all at Our Lady of Angels Retirement Home.

The wake for Sister Loretta will be at Our Lady of Angels Retirement Home, 1201 Wyoming Avenue, Joliet, IL, (Wyoming and Rt. 30) on Wednesday, June 13, 2018 from 2:00 – 6:45 p.m., with a Prayer Service at 4:45 p.m. and Mass of Christian Burial at 7:00 p.m.  The Funeral Procession will leave from Our Lady of Angels on Thursday morning, June 14, 2018 at 9:00 a.m.  The Interment will take place at Resurrection Cemetery in Romeoville, IL.

Memorials may be made to the Sisters of St. Francis of Mary Immaculate, 1433 Essington Road, Joliet, IL  60435.