A Mass of Christian Burial for Sister Nannette, D.C., was celebrated February 21, 2020 at The Sarah Community Marian Chapel in Bridgeton, Missouri; burial followed on February 22 at Marillac Cemetery, Normandy, Missouri. Sister Nannette died on February 17, 2020 while on mission at The Sarah Community. She was 86 years of age and 68 years of vocation as a Daughter of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul.
Born in St. Louis, Missouri on September 10, 1933 Sister Nannette (baptized Antonio Nannette) was one of four children born to Peter M. and Sarah R. (Pellegrino) Gentile, both of St. Louis. She was a 1951 graduate of Labouré High School in St. Louis. In December of 1951, Sister entered the Daughters of Charity in Normandy, Missouri.
Following initial formation, Sister Nannette was missioned to St. Patrick Grade School in LaSalle, Illinois where she taught middle grade students (1952 to 1955); then, she was missioned to St. Vincent School, Perryville, Missouri where she served as an Elementary Teacher (1955 to 1959). In 1959, Sister earned her Bachelor of Arts Degree from Marillac College in Normandy, Missouri and then spent one year studying French at the University of Montreal in Canada. In 1960, Sister was missioned to Marillac College in Normandy where she served as a French Teacher and Professor (1960 to 1973); as Language Department Chair (1966 to 1967); as Humanities Department Vice Chair (1966 to 1977); as Dean of Students (1972 to 1973); and as Assistant Professor of Humanities (1972 to 1973). She earned her Master of Arts Degree in French from Saint Louis University in 1963 and completed her Doctoral Degree in Spanish at Saint Louis University in 1973. Sister served as translator at several international Daughters of Charity meetings in Rome and Paris.
In 1973, Sister Nannette was missioned to Marillac Provincial House in St. Louis to serve as the Seminary Directress (1973 to 1979). During the six years she served as Directress, she also taught French and Spanish to Vincentian Seminarians at St. Mary’s Seminary in Perryville, Missouri (1972 to 1979). In 1979, she was missioned to El Carmen Mission in San Antonio, Texas to minister as the Coordinator of Religious Education in the Parish (1979 to 1980). In 1980, Sister began her service as Provincial Formation Councillor and Provincial Assistant in St. Louis (1980 to 1989), and in 1989 was named Visitatrix (Provincial) of the former West Central Province (1989 to 1998). She was missioned to Austin, Texas in 1998 where she served on the Education and Organization Development Team at Seton Medical Center (1998 to 2000); as Vice President of Mission for Seton Healthcare Network (2000 to 2008); and, as Assistant to the President of Leadership Formation for the Seton Family Healthcare (2008 to 2012). Sister returned to St. Louis in 2012 to serve as Local Community Superior for the Daughters of Charity at The Sarah Community in Bridgeton (2012 to 2016). In 2016, she entered the Ministry of Prayer at The Sarah Community where she served until her death.
Sister Nannette served on many boards: The Daughters of Charity National Health System West Central Region; Province Hospital in Waco, Texas; Hotel Dieu Hospital in New Orleans, Louisiana and the Catholic Hospital/Health Association.
Sister Nannette is preceded in death by her parents. She is survived by her sister Dr. Kathleen Sheridan (Dr. Edward Sheridan) of Estero, Florida; by her sister Patricia Hurst (David Hurst) of St. Louis, Missouri; her niece Tracey Allen (Steve Bass); her nephew Paul Hurst (Kristie Hurst); grandnieces, Annie (Allen) Morman (Brian Morman), Emma Allen, Madison Hurst, and Molli Hurst; and grandnephew Nicholas Hurst; extended family members; and her Sisters in Community.