Sister Nan Ross February 21,1928 – December 19, 2011

  Sister Nan Ross BVM, 83, of Marian Hall in Dubuque, Iowa, formerly of Maloy, Iowa, died Monday, December 19, 2011. She was born on February 21, 1928 in Newton, Iowa daughter of John William and Helen Frances (Harris) Ross, the third of four children.

Sister Nan graduated from high school at Saint Joseph’s Academy in Des Moines, Iowa. She entered the congregation of Sisters of Charity February 1, 1947 and was professed August 15, 1949, taking John William as her religious name. She then began her teaching ministry, which continued until 1986 in elementary schools in Illinois, Iowa, northern California and Alaska. She served as a pastoral associate and director of religious education in Holy Cross, Alaska. Later she was an administrator of the BVM Center at Mount Carmel, Dubuque. In 1996 she joined her good friend BVM Joanna Rettenmeir and Franciscan Marian Klostermann. The three formed a local community responding to the needs of the rural people in the parish area.

While living in Maloy, she served in pastoral ministry and as an elementary school tutor for so many students.

Since 2009 Nan had resided at Mount Carmel in Dubuque keeping up her lifelong habit of giving service to others.

Sister Nan is survived by four nieces, a nephew, Sisters of Charity of Blessed Virgin Mary with whom she shared her life for 64 years and many friends.

Services were held at Marian Hall Chapel in Dubuque December 21. A memorial service will be held on January 8 in Mount Ayr.

Memorials may be given to Sisters of Charity, BVM Support Fund, 1100 Carmel Drive, Dubuque, Iowa 52003.