OBITUARY | Sister Rita May Killian, RSM

Sister Rita May Killian, RSM, died on Jan. 9 at Catherine’s Residence Retirement Community in St. Louis. She was 97 years old and a Sister of Mercy for 79 years.
Sister Rita May was born on Sept. 13, 1927, in St. Louis, the fourth of five children of Fintan and Linnet (Nesslein) Killian. She entered the Sisters of Mercy on Sept. 7, 1945, in Webster Groves. Formerly known as Sister Mary Fintan, she professed temporary vows on March 12, 1948, and made perpetual profession on Aug. 16, 1951, in Webster Groves.
Rita May attended Christ the King School in University City, Ursuline Academy and Rosati-Kain High School in St. Louis before graduating from St. Vincent High School in Perryville. She received her bachelor’s degree in elementary education and teaching certificate from Webster College in St. Louis on June 1, 1957, her master’s degree in mathematics from Saint Louis University and Missouri Life Certificate for mathematics on June 1, 1967, and a master’s degree in theology from Spring Hill College in Mobile, Alabama, in 1968.
Sister Rita May taught in Missouri at St. Eustachius School in Portageville, Ste. Simon and Jude School in Sikeston, St. Ambrose School in Chaffee and Mercy High School in St. Louis. She also taught at high schools in Oklahoma City; Little Rock, Arkansas; Amarillo, Texas; and Meridian, Mississippi.
She also served at St. Francis Parish in Meridan, Mississippi; in retreat ministry at the Mercy Conference and Retreat Center in St. Louis and in Indianola and Mound Bayou, Mississippi; and Barling, Arkansas.
She retired to Catherine’s Residence for prayer and works of mercy on Aug. 21, 2017. Her ring motto was “All for Thee, My Jesus.” She was preceded in death by her parents and her four siblings; she is survived by many nieces and nephews.
She donated her body to Saint Louis University Medical School.
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