Sister Rita (Rita Ann) Bozel

Sister Rita (Rita Ann) Bozel, age 92, died at Villa St. Michael in Emmitsburg, Maryland on April 7, 2020.

She was born in Baltimore, Maryland on September 9, 1927 to Richard William and Josephine Victoria (Albert) Bozel. Sister Rita graduated from Seton High School in Baltimore in 1945 and entered the Daughters of Charity in December of 1945. Sister Rita earned her Bachelor of Science Degree in Mathematics in 1963 from St. Joseph College in Emmitsburg and her Master of Science Degree in Mathematics in 1970 from Michigan’s University of Detroit.

Following initial formation, Sister Rita began her many years of service in education as an Elementary Teacher, first at St. Ambrose School, Endicott, New York (1947-1956); then, as an Elementary and Middle School Teacher at Our Lady of Victory Elementary School in Portsmouth, Virginia (1956-1959) and St. Joseph School in Petersburg, Virginia (1959-1962). After completing her studies in Emmitsburg (1962-1963), Sister Rita was missioned to Baltimore where she served as a Math Teacher at Seton High School (1963-1968); then, she went to Bladensburg, Maryland, where she was a Math and Computer Teacher at Elizabeth Seton High School (1968-1982). Sister returned to Baltimore in 1982, where she taught again at Seton High School as a Math Teacher (1982-1984) and as an Alumnae Moderator (1984-1988). In 1988, Sister Rita served as an Alumnae Moderator at All Saints High School in Washington, DC. (1988-1989). Sister Rita completed her ministry in education in 1992 at Elizabeth Seton High School in Bladensburg teaching Math and Computer Science (1989-1992).  In 1992, Sister Rita was missioned to Emmitsburg where she served until 2013 in several roles: as Bookkeeper, both at Seton Center and the Shrine of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, as Assistant to the Senior Sisters, as a Clerk in the Gift Shop at Villa St. Michael, and in Hospitality at St. Joseph House. In 2013, Sister Rita joined the Ministry of Prayer at Villa St. Michael in Emmitsburg where she served until the time of her death.

Sister Rita was preceded in death by her parents and eight siblings, including her sister, Sister Mary Ann Bozel, D.C., who died in 2014, and her brother, Reverend Monsignor Robert A. Bozel, who died in 2012. She is survived by her sister, Ann Delaney of Tampa, Fla., sisters-in-law Joan M. Bozel of Lutherville, Maryland and  Leila Bozel of Towson, Maryland, many nieces and nephews, and her Sisters in Community.

A private funeral liturgy (No Mass) will be held on Tuesday, April 14 in the Villa Chapel in Emmitsburg.  Burial will follow in the Sacred Heart Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in Sister Rita’s name to the Daughters of Charity, 4330 Olive Street, Saint Louis, Missouri  63108.  Arrangements have been entrusted to the Myers-Durboraw Funeral Home in Emmitsburg.