A Mass of Christian Burial for Sister Anna Walkaukas, D.C., was celebrated Feb. 15, 2013, at the DePaul House Chapel in Albany, N.Y. Burial followed at St. Agnes Cemetery in Menands, N.Y.
Sister Anna died Feb. 12, 2013, at 95 years of age at the Daughters of Charity senior care residence, St. Louise House, in Albany, N.Y. In December of 2012, she celebrated 76 years vocation as a Daughter of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul.
Born in Albany, N.Y., on Jan. 26, 1918, Sister Anna was the daughter of Anthony and Ann (Grigaitis) Walkaukas. She was one of four children; she had one sister, Stella, and two brothers, John and William.
Sister Anna earned her Bachelor of Science degree in nursing from The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., in 1953. In 1962, she earned her Master of Science degree in nursing from St. John’s University in Jamaica, N.Y. This training prepared her for 35 years of service in nursing at Providence Hospital in Washington, D.C. (1953 – 1962); Sacred Heart Hospital in Cumberland, Md. (1964 – 1965); Sisters’ Hospital in Buffalo, N.Y. (1965 – 1969); St. Mary’s Hospital in Rochester, N.Y. (1969 – 1971); and St. Vincent’s Hospital in Bridgeport, Conn. (1971 – 1979).
Sister Anna was a hospital Sister to the core. When her professional career wound down, she found a way to serve persons who were sick or poor or both. She served for 18 years (1979 – 1997) at Carney Hospital in Boston, Mass., as a patient advocate in the Emergency Room. Her manner was so gracious and her charity so compelling in dealing with patients and their families who were facing trying circumstances that the staff was drawn to follow her examples.
To better meet the needs of the patients, Sister Anna started to collect and redeem soda cans to have money to give to those in need of assistance. Early every morning, she made the rounds of the Carney Hospital nursing units to pick up her soda cans. She teamed up with the Social Service Department to identify the elderly or even some personnel with special needs. Soon the man who redeemed the soda cans sent a truck to Carney to collect the cans. This project was memorialized by the Social Services Department at Carney as the “Sister Anna Fund.” Carney Hospital staff continues the tradition of collecting cans to honor Sister Anna and reach out to those in need.
Sister Anna retired at St. Louise House in Albany, N.Y., in 1998 when the Daughters of Charity withdrew from Carney Hospital in Boston.
Sister Anna was predeceased by her parents, her sister Stella Kuchis and her brothers John and William. Sister is survived by two nephews, George and Anthony Kuchis, and by two nieces, Dianne Reinhart and Janet Elliot, as well as a cousin, Helen Peplowski, of Albany, N.Y.