Posted October 1, 2012

Sister Rita Tassinari, M.P.F., 70, died Sept. 25 at the St. Joseph Hall Infirmary, Morristown, N.J.

Born in Somerville, Mass., Sister Rita entered the Religious Teachers Filippini on July 14, 1951, and made her religious profession Aug. 27, 1961.

She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in elementary education from Seton Hall University, South Orange, N.J.

Sister Rita began her teaching ministry in 1957 at Holy Rosary School, Jersey City, N.J. She also taught at Our Lady of the Assumption, Bayonne; St. Anthony, Belleville; St. James, Trenton; St. Jerome, West Long Branch; Our Lady of Mercy; Park Ridge, Blessed Sacrament, Paterson; Holy Family, Nutley; St. Peter, Merchantville; Villa Victoria Academy, Trenton; St. Nicholas, Philadelphia and Purification B.V.M., Ellwood City, Pa.

She served as elementary school principal at Blessed Sacrament, Paterson; St. Margaret of Scotland, Morristown, N.J.; and Purification B.V.M., Ellwood City, Pa., and assistant principal at St. Ann School, Raritan, N.J. Sister Rita was the director of junior professed sisters for three years and she served as the superior of Villa Walsh for eight years.

The funeral Mass for Sister Rita was celebrated Monday, Oct. 1 in the St. Lucy Chapel at Villa Walsh, Morristown, NJ.

Sister Rita is survived by her sisters, Sister Rose Tassinari, M.P.F., and Anna Kemp; her brothers Anthony, Amadeo, Robert, John and Raphael; her aunts, Sister Zita Torlai, M.P.F., Rita Del Iacano; her uncle John Torlai; many nieces and nephews and great-nieces and great-nephews. She was predeceased by her parents Joseph and Theresa Torlai.

In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Sister Rita will be accepted for the St. Joseph Hall Infirmary Building Fund, c/o Sister Betty Jean Takacs, M.P.F., provincial superior, Villa Walsh, 455 Western Avenue, Morristown, NJ 07960-4928.