A Mass of Christian Burial for Sister Mary Frances Loftin, D.C., was celebrated April 7, 2015, at Seton Residence Chapel in Evansville, Ind. Burial followed at St. Joseph Cemetery in Evansville. Sister Mary Frances died April 1 at 87 years of age at Seton Residence. She celebrated 63 years of vocation in January 2015.
Born March 25, 1928, in Atlanta, Sister Mary Frances (baptized Mae Frances Loftin) was the oldest child born to Edward Raymond and Ethel Mae (Howell) Loftin. She was a 1946 graduate of Walton High School in DeFuniak Springs, Fla. Sister earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Marquette University in Milwaukee in 1955. She completed her master’s degree in health care administration at The George Washington University in Washington, D.C., in 1970.
Sister Mary Frances entered the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent DePaul in St. Louis in January of 1952. After initial formation, Sister Mary Frances served as a nursing supervisor at DePaul Hospital in St. Louis (January 1953–September 1953); St. Vincent Hospital in Birmingham, Ala. (1955–1960); and St. Paul Hospital in Dallas (1960–1966). She next served as director of nursing services at Seton Healthcare Network in Austin, Texas (1966–1968). Sister ministered in Birmingham at East End Memorial as assistant administrator (1970–1971), then in the same position at St. Joseph Health Centers and Hospital in Chicago (1971–1974) and at Saint Thomas Hospital in Nashville, Tenn. (1974–1975). While in Chicago, Sister Mary Frances served as her Community’s Local Superior (1972–1974).
Sister Mary Frances was then named administrator at Saint Thomas Hospital in Nashville (1975–1981). For the next six years, Sister Mary Frances served as a Provincial Councillor for the former Mater Dei Province in Evansville (1981–1987). She then returned to Birmingham as president/CEO of St. Vincent Hospital (1987–1992). Sister next assumed leadership of the Daughters of Charity National Health System (predecessor organization of Ascension) in St. Louis (1992–1995). Sister returned to Birmingham again and was appointed diocesan chancellor for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Birmingham (1995–2001). She next ministered as board chair at Providence Hospital in Mobile, Ala. (2001–2009), and at Saint Thomas Hospital in Nashville (2007–2010). In August of 2010, Sister Mary Frances began to volunteer at Providence Hospital in Mobile. She served there until 2011 when she moved to Seton Residence in Evansville to join the Ministry of Prayer. She served there until the time of her death.
Sister Mary Frances was selected as one of the Outstanding Women in Birmingham and also was named the Executive of the Year in Nashville. In 2010, Sister received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Catholic Health Association for her leadership and advocacy in health care.
Sister Mary Frances was preceded in death by her parents and her sister Betty who also was a Daughter of Charity (Sister Elizabeth Loftin, D.C.). She is survived by her cousins John Wendell (Mary) Johnston, Cecil W. (Helen) Johnston, Kay (Ron) Black, Raymond Johnston, Cynthia Douglas, Margaret Rawley; other relatives; her Sisters in Community; and many friends.