Sister of St. Joseph Catherine Foos (formerly Sister Barbara Ann) died May 28, 2016. She was 90 years old.
She entered the congregation in 1944 from her home parish of Holy Rosary. She earned a bachelor’s of science in math and chemistry in 1948 from Nazareth College. She completed a master’s of science in math in 1952 and earned her doctorate in math in 1956 at the University of Notre Dame.
Sister Foos taught at St. Lucy School in Rochester from 1948-52. In 1952, she was assigned to Nazareth College, where she was an assistant math professor. In 1967, she took a two-year break to serve in the Newman ministry at Ithaca College, but returned to Nazareth College to become chairman of the math department in 1969.
In 1975, Sister Foos was elected to the congregation’s leadership team. After serving four years, she decided to go to Brazil, where she spent 17 years working as a pastoral agent. On returning to the U.S. in 1997, Sister Foos volunteered her time as office manager at St. Joseph’s Neighborhood Center and then as a literacy volunteer in the Nazareth Schools and as a receptionist at the motherhouse.
She is survived by her sister, Mary Elizabeth (Betty) Murphy; several nieces, nephews and cousins; and her sisters in the congregation.
Her funeral liturgy was celebrated in the motherhouse chapel in Pittsford June 3, 2016, with burial in Holy Sepulchre Cemetery.
Contributions in her memory may be made to the Sisters of St. Joseph Ministry Fund at www.ssjrochester.org or 150 French Road, Rochester, NY 14618.
