Sister Ann E. Fitzpatrick, C.S.J., a member of the Sisters of St. Joseph, Brentwood, L.I., for 70 years, died Feb. 10 in Maria Regina Residence, Brentwood. She entered the congregation from Holy Family parish, Park Slope, in 1943. She attended St. Francis College, Brooklyn Heights, and earned her master’s degree and doctorate in education administration from St. John’s University, Jamaica.
Formerly known as Sister Charles Veronica, she taught at St. Pascal Baylon, St. Albans, 1945-49; St. Augustine, Park Slope, 1949-65; St. John the Evangelist, Park Slope, 1965-66; St. Thomas Aquinas, Park Slope, 1966-68; and was principal at St. Virgilius, Broad Channel, 1970-71.
Other ministries included assistant to the dean at St. John’s University, Jamaica, 1969-70; an administrator in Boards of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES), L.I., 1971-81; an administrator in the teacher center at Hofstra University, Hempstead, L.I., 1981-82.
In the Diocese of Metuchen, N.J., she worked to establish the Office of Superintendent of Schools, holding the position of deputy superintendent for six years.
From 1988 through 2001, she served as the associate dean of the Graduate School of Education at the College of New Rochelle, instituting programs on behalf of the college.
Her early work in the primary grades gave her the impetus to write a series of children’s books, which were religious in nature.
A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated Feb. 16 in Maria Regina Chapel. Interment followed in Calvary Cemetery, Brentwood.
Sister Charles was my first grade teacher at St. Augustine’s in 1956 and I loved her. I got nose bleeds every day and she would put me on her lap and stop my nosebleeds (something she made a point of learning how to do successfully just for me). May she rest in peace. With sincere gratitude, Anna Vaccaro-Stern
Sr. Charles Veronica was my first grade teacher at St. Augustine in 1956. Since I never went to kindergarten, first day of first grade at 5 years old was traumatic. I remember sitting at a desk looking at the classroom door while all the mother’s were trying to get a last look through the small window. My mother was very short, but she was jumping up and down to get a look at me. When the moms finally went home, I started to cry. Sr. Charles knelt down by the side of my desk and asked me what was wrong. I was too embarrassed to tell her the truth – I was scared and wanted my mother – so, I lied and told her that someone stepped on my finger. She asked me to show her which finger and when I did, she bent down and placed a little kiss on it and told me it was all better. She was so kind and so gentle. I will never forget her! Rest in peace Sister.