A Mass of Christian Burial for Sister Rebecca Hite, D.C., was celebrated May 21, 2014, at Seton Residence Chapel in Evansville, Ind. Burial followed at St. Joseph Cemetery in Evansville.
Sister Rebecca died May 17, 2014, at 87 years of age at Seton Residence. On Dec. 4, 2013, she celebrated 70 years of vocation as a Daughter of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul.
Born Nov. 13, 1926, in New Orleans, La., Sister Rebecca was one of six children born to Morgan Dudley and Lucy Elizabeth (Young) Hite. She was baptized Rebecca Anne.
Sister was a 1942 graduate of Holy Name of Jesus High School in New Orleans and entered the Daughters of Charity in St. Louis, Mo., in December of 1943. Sister Rebecca earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in education from Fontbonne College (now University) in St. Louis in 1949. She completed her Master of Arts degree as a reading specialist at Cardinal Stritch College in Milwaukee, Wis., in 1965.
After initial formation, Sister Rebecca began a life of service in various ministries of the Daughters of Charity. She was an elementary teacher at Holy Trinity School in Dallas, Texas (1945 – 1947). She then served as a group mother at St. Mary’s Orphanage and as an elementary teacher at Cathedral Grade School, both in Natchez, Miss. (1947 – 1958). Sister served as a group mother and special education teacher at St. Pius X Home and School in Kansas City, Mo. (1958 – 1962); and then as a special education teacher at Marillac Center in Kansas City (1962 – 1965). Sister then was appointed as the director of the Archdiocesan Reading Clinic in St. Louis (1965 – 1976). Sister Rebecca ministered as the administrator at Marywood Home of the Holy Infancy in Austin, Texas (1976 to 1978). She served as assistant administrator at Marillac Provincial House in St. Louis (1978 – 1986). She also worked in health ministry as a tumor registrar at St. Paul Medical Center in Dallas (1986 – 1993). In 1993, she served a year as a docent at the National Shrine of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton in Emmitsburg, Md., and then as the Shrine’s administrator (1994 – 1996). Sister then was missioned to Waco, Texas, where she served as a home health care office volunteer (1996 – 2002). She then served as a receptionist at the former Marillac Provincialate (2002 – 2004). Sister Rebecca served as a volunteer in the business office at Daughters of Charity Services of New Orleans (2004 – 2005), then she was missioned to Hewitt, Texas, to assist with the home health program of Providence Healthcare Network (2005 – 2008). In 2008, Sister Rebecca entered the Ministry of Prayer at Seton Residence in Evansville. She served there until the time of her death.
Sister Rebecca is survived by many nieces and nephews, her Sisters in Community and many friends.