Marie Rose Fafard

Sr. Marie Rose Fafard, CSC (Sr. Mary Laetitia), 89, of the Sisters of Holy Cross, 357 Island Pond Rd., Manchester died March 16, 2005 at Holy Cross Health Center.

Born in New Bedford, MA on February 4, 1916, she was the daughter of Alphonse and Marguerite (Gasse) Fafard. She entered the Congregation of the Sisters of Holy Cross in 1933 and made her final profession in 1940. She served the Congregation for 72 years.

Sr. Marie Rose taught at parochial elementary schools in Massachusetts at New Bedford and Attleboro and in North Grosvenordale, CT. She also taught religious education classes and was involved in Pastoral Ministry at St. Theresa Church in Manchester and at Merrimack County Nursing Home.

In 1987, she founded a rosary prayer group which still meets weekly.

While at St. Theresa Church, she started the Blue Army Cadets. She later served in various internal services within the Congregation before retiring in 2000.

The family includes two sisters, Donalda Robitaille of Tacoma Park, MD and Sr. Louise Fafard, CSC of Manchester; two brothers, Donat Fafard of N. Dartmouth, MA and Henry Fafard of East Haven, CT; a sister in law, Loretta Fafard of Jefferson City, NY; nieces and nephews.

A mass of Christian burial was celebrated Friday March 18, 2005 in the chapel of St. George Manor. Burial was in St. Augustin Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Holy Cross Development Office, 377 Island Pond Rd., Manchester 03109.

Lambert Funeral Home & Crematory, 1799 Elm St., Manchester was in charge of arrangements. For more information, visit