Sister Augusta Conter (Sister Marie Francesca) was called home on Aug. 7, the eve of the feast of St. Dominic, by our loving God, whom she served for almost 76 years as a Sister of St. Dominic, Congregation of the Holy Cross, Amityville, New York.

Sister Augusta was born in Livo, a little village in northern Italy, with her twin sister Pia on Nov. 4, 1932, to August and Tullia Conter. Her father returned to the United States in 1933, leaving the family in Livo until he had earned enough money to provide for passage to the U.S. Then, in September 1936, the family embarked from Genoa and arrived in New York Harbor later that month.

Augusta and Pia attended Annunciation Elementary School in Brooklyn, where they met the Dominican sisters. After graduating in 1946, Augusta attended Dominican Juniorate High School in Watermill, and on Sept. 8, 1950, entered the novitiate of Queen of the Rosary Motherhouse. On Aug. 4, 1951, she received the Dominican habit as a novice and the religious name Sister Marie Francesca. She professed her first vows on Aug. 6, 1952, and her final vows on Aug. 6, 1955.

Her first assignment was at All Saints Elementary School in Brooklyn. In 1956, she was transferred to All Saints High School. Sister Augusta earned her Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degree from St. John’s School of Commerce in 1961 and taught business subjects until 1968, when she was asked to serve as assistant principal.

In 1970, she received a Master of Social Sciences degree from Brooklyn College, and in 1969, she was transferred to Bishop McDonnell High School, where she remained until its closing. In September 1973, she obtained a position at The Rhodes School in New York City as a teacher and guidance counselor. She held the position until 1981. During those years, Augusta received certification in pastoral counseling from the Post Graduate Center for Mental Health in Manhattan. She used this training as a volunteer counselor at Our Lady of Angels Human Services for four years. Augusta also received her certificate in administration and supervision from Brooklyn College in 1981.

In 1981, she became assistant principal at St. Edmund High School in Brooklyn and remained there until 1986. That same year, she became principal of St. Patrick Elementary School in Brooklyn until 1989, when the congregation asked her to serve as principal of St. Bartholomew Elementary School in Elmhurst, where she remained until 2001.

From 2001 to 2007, she was a teacher/mentor at Cathedral High School for Girls in New York City. From 2007 to 2010, Sister Augusta taught Spanish to students at St. Margaret School in Middle Village and Italian to students at St. Nicholas School in Brooklyn before retiring in 2011.

Sister Augusta is survived by her twin sister, Pia Conter, OP.

Her funeral was celebrated in St. Albert Chapel in Amityville on Aug. 18.