May 19, 1930 – November 3, 2022
Please pray for the repose of the soul of Sister Anna Bridget Kearns, CSJ, who passed away on November 3, 2022, at Nazareth Living Center in St. Louis, Missouri. She was 92 years old.
Sister Anna Bridget, baptized Anna Patricia, was born on May 19, 1930, in Augusta, Georgia, to parents Timothy Joseph and Johanna Agnes (Bartley) Kearns—the seventh of nine children. She grew up in a loving Irish Catholic family and attended Mount St. Joseph Catholic Elementary and High Schools, staffed by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet. Anna’s mother always prayed that one of her daughters would become a sister and was delighted when Anna responded to the call.
Anna was received into the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet in 1948 with the name Sister Anna Bridget. She received a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Fontbonne College in St. Louis in 1959, and a master’s degree in elementary education from the University of Hawaii in Honolulu in 1969. Further studies included Xavier University in New Orleans and Christian Brothers University in Memphis.
Sister Anna Bridget ministered in elementary education for over 55 years in the Arch/Dioceses of Atlanta, Savannah, Hawaii, St. Louis and Boston. She served 50 of those as a teacher and five as an administrator.
The first 10 years of her ministry work were in the state of Georgia, beginning in 1950. In the Archdiocese of Atlanta, Sister Anna taught at Sacred Heart Grade School (1950-52, 1957-59). In the Diocese of Savannah, she taught at Sacred Heart Grade School in Savannah (1952-53, 1959-60), St. Francis Xavier Grade School in Brunswick (1953-55), St. John the Evangelist Grade School in Valdosta (1955-57).
In 1960, Sister Anna moved to the Hawaiian island of Oahu. During nine years of service there, she taught at St. Anthony Grade School in Kailua (1960-64) and St. Joseph Grade School in Waipahu (1964-69).
She came back to the mainland and went on to teach in St. Louis at Holy Guardian Angels Grade School (1969-70) and St. Rich Grade School (1970-73). Sister Anna then moved to the state of Massachusetts and served in the Boston neighborhood of Roxbury where she taught at St. Joseph Community School for the next eight years. In 1981, she returned to Atlanta to serve at Our Lady of Lourdes Grade School as a teacher (1981-83) and principal (1983-88).
In 1989, after being on sabbatical for nearly a year, Sister Anna Bridget continued teaching in Atlanta at St. Anthony Grade School until 1993. She then went back to St. Francis Xavier Grade School, where she fulfilled her ministry as a teacher.
Sister Anna Bridget retired in 2006. She remained in Brunswick and served as a volunteer for 13 years. She ministered with people who were homeless, in hospice care and shut-ins. Once a week, she would spend a day at St. Francis, helping the third grade teacher whom she taught in third grade.
During her spare time, she loved to spend time walking at the beach and with friends. When celebrating her 70th jubilee in 2019, Sister Anna said her 70 years as a Sister of St. Joseph had been a blessing for her, and she is grateful to the community, family and friends who have supported her along the way.
Since 2019, Sister Anna resided at Nazareth Living Center in St. Louis, carrying out her mission of prayer and presence.
Sister Anna Bridget’s funeral arrangements are pending.
Memorial contributions may be made to: Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, St. Louis Province, 6400 Minnesota Ave., St. Louis, MO 63111-2899 or donate online.