Spirituality: Embracing the Good God
 

 Home > General News

A Gentle Smile: Sr. Rose Franci  Email Article To a Friend View Printable Version 

Sr. Rose Franci
Sr. Rose Franci
A Sister of Notre Dame de Namur for 76 years and a life-long elementary school educator, Sr. Rose Franci (Julie Dolores), SND, passed away at the age of 94 in Oakland on April 22, 2011. 

Noted for her gentle smile and kind ways, Sr. Rose Franci began teaching third graders in 1938 at Notre Dame School in San Francisco. A graduate of Salinas High School and College of Notre Dame, Sr. Rose taught and administered at Notre Dame schools in California and Washington for almost 50 years. 

A second grader celebrates her first communion with Sr. Rose. Circa 1961.
A second grader celebrates her first communion with Sr. Rose. Circa 1961.
A native of Salinas, she returned to her hometown in the 1970s to teach at Madonna del Sasso, then at her alma mater, Sacred Heart School, where she served as both teacher and principal until 1984. Even in her 80s, Sr. Rose continued to impress upon students the joys of reading when she volunteered as the library assistant at Moreland Notre Dame School in Watsonville. 

Sr. Rose was preceded in death by her parents, Dominic and Ida Franci, her sister and brothers, Dorothy, Henry, and Felix Franci as well as Msgr. Dominic Franci of the Diocese of Fresno. She spent the last years of her life at Mercy Retirement and Care Center in Oakland. Sr. Rose is lovingly remembered by former colleagues and students as well as her community, the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur.

Ideas for next steps:


What's Related

Story Options

A Gentle Smile: Sr. Rose Franci | 1 comments
The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.
Sr. Teresa Ann writes: When she was in her late 80s we tried to get Sr. Rose to retire from the library. We even got her a rocking chair for the library hoping she would sit in it and read stories to the children. No way would she even retire to a rocking chair. She had to be at the desk. At this point she was frail and we were afraid a child would knock her down. So she got one of those walkers with four wheels. She would stand by the convent door and as soon recess ended, Sr. Rose would charge across the school yard to the library. She loved being with the children and they would watch out for her and walk with her so she wouldn't get hurt.