Sister Rosella Molitor, DC, died May 4 at The Sarah Community in Bridgeton. She was 95 and a Daughter of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul for 62 years.
Born Feb. 6, 1925, in Fort Wayne, Ind., Sister Rosella (baptized Dorothy Catherine) was one of two daughters and one son born to Rosella M. (Haffner) and Elmer A. Molitor, both of Fort Wayne. Sister Rosella was a 1942 graduate of Central Catholic High School in Fort Wayne.
Sister Rosella entered the Daughters of Charity from St. Mary’s Parish in Fort Wayne in June of 1957. After completing initial formation, she was asked to assist with secretarial work at the former Marillac Provincial House in Normandy (1958-59). She was then missioned to serve in business operations and bookkeeping at many locations, including Hotel Dieu Hospital in New Orleans, (1959); Hotel Dieu Medical Center in El Paso, (1960); Catholic Social Services in Covington, Ky., (1961-65); and St. Anthony Home in Kansas City, Mo., (1965-69).
She next served in social work and bookkeeping at Seton Center in Kansas City (1969-74). Sister Rosella’s next mission was to Immaculate Conception Parish in Poteau, Okla., to serve in pastoral ministry (1974-80). With that parish experience, she was missioned to Cheyenne River Sioux Indian Reservation in Eagle Butte, S.D., to assist in parish ministry (1980-83).
Sister Rosella returned to the St. Louis area to minister at Marillac Provincial House (1983-84) and as receptionist for the Daughters of Charity National Health System-West Central Region (1984-85). She was called to serve again in Eagle Butte, S.D., at Cheyenne River Sioux Indian Reservation (1985-87). She then returned to the St. Louis area to serve at Guardian Angel Settlement Association as driver and home visitor for the elderly and needy (1987-91). Sister Rosella’s next mission was to Our Lady of Hope Parish, in Hope, Ark., where she served in parish ministry (1991-92). She once again returned to the St. Louis area where she served at Marillac Provincial House in various areas of transportation, communications, and as sacristan (1992-98). When Marillac Provincial House was closed in 1999, she moved to The Sarah Community where she served as a driver until entering the ministry of prayer in 2004.
Sister Rosella donated her body to science. A memorial Mass will be held at a later date.
