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Sister Teresita Richardson, OSF

(Oct. 20, 1935 to Sept 18, 2020)

Sister Teresita Richardson, OSF

A person of many talents and many interests, Sister Teresita passed away suddenly on Sept. 18, in the health care center at 201 Reist St. She was 84 years of age. Sister Teresita lived 43 years as a Franciscan Missionary Sister of the Divine Child and 16 years as a Sister of St. Francis of the Neumann Communities as a result of a merger and eventual union of three religious congregations.

Sister Teresita was born in New Orleans, La., on Oct. 20, 1935, and named Evelyn to the late Wilfred Albert Richardson and Margaret Seminary.

She was preceded in death by her brothers and sisters: Mildred, Dolores, Harold and John. She is survived by her brother, Wilfred Jr. and sister, Ethel.

Sister Teresita was born and raised in New Orleans. Sister Teresita served as a Lay Missionary in the Daughters of St. Francis Apostolate sponsored by the Franciscan Missionary Sisters from July 1960 to October 1961. In 1961, she entered the Franciscan Missionary Sisters of the Divine Child taking the religious name Sister Teresita. For 29 years, she served as a census taker and for 17 years, she served as a teacher and coordinator of Religious Education. In addition, at various times and in various places, Sister Teresita served as a staff member of the House of Peace & Justice in California and Mexico, volunteer at Little Portion Friary and Parish Visitor at Our Lady of Lourdes, both in Buffalo, N.Y., and as a kindergarten teacher at Divine Child and Rainbow K Kindergartens. Sister also served as a missionary to Brazil to work with the Jesuits with the poorest of the poor and worked with migrants in Texas near the Mexican border. Sister Teresita was also a volunteer for Prison Ministry in Albion, N.Y., and served as a member of the Kairos Prison Retreat and Bible Study programs.

Throughout the years, Sister Teresita maintained an interest in travel, languages, scripture and spirituality. Sister Teresita always maintain her New Orleans roots, annually celebrating Mardi Gras no matter where she was geographically with purple, green and gold beads.

A private Mass of Christian Burial will be offered in the St. Mary of the Angels Chapel at Fredonia Place of Williamsville, 201 Reist St., Williamsville, on Saturday, Sept. 26, at 10 a.m. Interment will be in Gethsemane Cemetery on Reist Street.