Marlborough – Sister Anita Lazarus (Mildred Lazarus) died Sunday, Oct. 30, 2011 at St. Patrick's Manor in Framingham after a long illness. She was 91 years of age and had been a Sister of the Good Shepherd for 60 years.
Sister Anita was born June 8, 1920 in Brooklyn, N.Y., the daughter of James Lazarus and Carmela (Marmelito) Lazarus. She attended Grover Cleveland High School in Queens, N.Y.
She worked in business on Wall Street, New York City, in imports and exports for 15 years before entering the Novitiate of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd, Peekskill, N.Y. in 1951, where she began her formation and training caring for the poor and marginalized with special focus on teenage girls.
Sister Anita made her first profession in 1954 and was missioned to Villa Loretto in Peekskill, N.Y., where she served as Assistant Director of Child Care. She made her final profession in 1957. She also attended Saint Joseph's College in Patchogue, N.Y., where she specialized in Human Services.
She served in many of Good Shepherd programs throughout the New York Province, in Morristown, N.J. and Albany, N.Y., where she cared for teenage girls as Child Care Supervisor.
In 1962, Sister Anita became superior of the Contemplative community in Troy, N.J. and, in keeping with the ministry of the contemplative Sisters, arranged to have the sisters learn the art of weaving from a guild in England. The sisters became very proficient in weaving beautiful vestments and altar cloths for parishes in many dioceses. She was then missioned to Springfield in 1966, where she continued her work with the Contemplative Sisters and again set up weaving classes.
In 1970, Sister Anita was missioned to Albany, N.Y. as administrator of the Apostolic community at Saint Anne's Institute. She then went to Dix Hills, N.Y. in 1976 and became Assistant Director of the Crisis Unit at the Good Shepherd program at Madonna Heights. She later became administrator of the Apostolic community at Dix Hills.
In 2008, Sister Anita retired to Good Shepherd Center in Marlborough.
She is survived by her sister, Anita (Lazarus) Daly of Rye, N.Y.; her niece, Jean Daly; her two nephews, Gerard Daly and his wife Diana of Bloomfield, N.J. and Kenneth Daly and his wife Pearl of Cedar Park, Texas; and grandnieces and grandnephews.
A Mass of Christian burial will be offered by Reverend Robert Rivard Friday, Nov. 4, at 10 a.m., in the Good Shepherd Center Chapel, 406 Hemenway St., Marlborough. Visiting hours will be Thursday, Nov. 3, from 4 to 8 p.m., at Good Shepherd Center, with a Prayer Service at 7 p.m. Burial will be at Mt. Benedict Cemetery in West Roxbury.
Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Fitzgerald & Collins Funeral Home, 378 Lincoln St., Marlborough.
Expressions of sympathy in honor of Sister Anita may be made to the Good Shepherd Retirement Fund, 406 Hemenway St., Marlborough, MA 01752.
