FOLAN, SISTER ALFREDA, aged 90, entered into eternal life on January 9, 2005 at the Incarnate Word Retirement Community, San Antonio, Texas; born in County Galway, Ireland on May 8, 1914 to Michael and Bridget Folan, Sister Alfreda entered the Congregation of the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word in 1933, professing her first vows in 1938 and perpetual vows in 1943. She received a Bachelor's of Science Degree in Nursing from Incarnate Word College (now the University of the Incarnate Word or UIW) in 1953, and devoted 34 years to serving the sick and infirm for a number of the Congregation's medical ministries including Josephine Heitkamp Hospital in St. Louis, MO and the Texas facilities of Santa Rosa (now CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Hospital and St. Frances Home in San Antonio, Spohn Hospital (now CHRISTUS Spohn Hospital) in Corpus Christi, St. Anthony's Hospital (now Baptist/St. Anthony's Hospital) in Amarillo, St. John's Hospital in San Angelo and St. Joseph's Hospital in Fort Worth. Remembered as an excellent obstetrics nurse, Sister Alfreda was also a pioneer in patient advocacy, becoming one of the first Patient Representatives at St. Joseph's Hospital when the position was introduced there in 1975. Sister Alfreda is survived and deeply missed by her sister, Nora Folan of County Galway, Ireland; her niece, Bridie and her husband, John O'Brien, also of County Galway; her cousin, Charles Chapman of Florida, and by her Sisters in Christ. The Rosary is scheduled for Tuesday, January 11, 2005 at 6:30 p.m. in St. Joseph's Chapel on the 2nd floor of Incarnate Word Retirement Community, 4707 Broadway; the funeral Mass will be celebrated there Wednesday, January 12, 2005 at 4:00 p.m. followed by interment in the Convent Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Congregation of the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word, P.O. Box 15378, San Antonio, Texas 78212.
--St. Louis Post-Dispatch; Jan 11, 2005