Sister Rose Maria Moser, SND

SISTER ROSE MARIA MOSER, SND

Giving light, the candle gives the gift of itself. Like the candle, Sister Rose Maria Moser shone brightly during her century long life, radiating her warmth to students and many Sisters of Notre Dame from around the world, especially when living in Rome. 

Born July 13, 1923, in Defiance County, Ohio, Laurena Rose was the youngest of eight children in the family of Peter Anthony and Catherine Dora (Steffel) Moser. As an infant Laurena had very delicate health. Overwhelmed by her child’s illness, the mother prayed to the Blessed Virgin Mary that her baby would either get well or be taken to heaven soon. Laurena did recover so well that she outlived all her family members, the only one to celebrate a hundredth birthday.

In 1941 when Sister was invested in the habit of the Sisters of Notre Dame, she took the name Sister Mary Ferdinand, later changed to Sister Rose Maria.

Throughout her 80 years of religious life, Sister burned brightly as an educator and a woman of deep prayer. She could enkindle interest in the elementary students in Maumee, Delphos, Norwalk, Napoleon, and Toledo. Her degrees in mathematics from the University of Detroit and Marquette University in Milwaukee prepared her for 16 years of teaching on the secondary level at Notre Dame Academy, Toledo; St. John High School, Delphos, and St. Mary High School, Sandusky. In addition to math, she was also very thorough in preparing for religion and German classes.

In 1973 an entirely new ministry opened up when she resided at the Generalate of the Sisters of Notre Dame in Rome. There she spent many hours in prayer as an Adoration sister and performed secretarial work until 2003. When in Rome, Sister had opportunities to travel throughout Italy and Germany for which she read extensively to be a good tour guide. Upon returning to the United States in 2003, Sister took care of the library at the Provincial Center for three years before beginning other types of community service until December 2015 when many sisters moved to the Sisters of Notre Dame Center in Whitehouse. In April 2018 she moved to the Ursuline Center in Toledo and then three years later to Rosary Care Center in Sylvania where she died on June 11, 2024, in the presence of her niece, Sister Mary Rose Moser, who is also a Sister of Notre Dame. Wherever Sister Rose Maria was, whatever she was doing, she radiated her love of being a Sister of Notre Dame. She will be greatly missed by her religious community and family.

Preceding her in death are her parents Peter Anthony and Catherine Dora (Steffel) Moser and all her siblings: brothers Virgil, Louis, and Bernard; and sisters Elvira, Silvina Erpelding, Marie Catherine and Agnes (Sister Mary Carmel, SND).

Visitation will be at the Sisters of Notre Dame Center, 5900 Davis Road, Whitehouse, OH on Saturday, June 15 from 9:00-10:15 when the eulogy begins. Liturgy at 10:30 will be livestreamed. A meal will follow. Burial will be at 9:30 on Monday, June 17 at Resurrection Cemetery, Toledo. Tributes may be made to the Sisters of Notre Dame at 1656 Henthorne Drive, Suite 200, Maumee, OH 43537. Arrangements are entrusted to the Urbanski Funeral Home, a Life Celebration Home, 5055 Secor Road, Toledo.