A Mass of Christian Burial for Sister Virginia Cotter, D.C., was celebrated Saturday, Jan. 18, 2014, at the Basilica of the National Shrine of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton in Emmitsburg, Md. Burial followed at Sacred Heart Cemetery in Emmitsburg.
Sister Virginia died Jan. 12, 2014, at 87 years of age at Villa St. Michael in Emmitsburg. On Dec. 30, 2013, she celebrated 62 years of vocation as a Daughter of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul.
Born in Brookline, Mass., on Feb. 24, 1926, Sister Virginia was the third of seven children born to John and Margaret (O’Day) Cotter. She was baptized Virginia.
Sister Virginia joined the Daughters of Charity in December 1951 in Emmitsburg. After completing the seminary, she was asked to work in formation while studying nursing at St. Joseph College in Emmitsburg. After graduating from St. Joseph College in Emmitsburg, with a Bachelor of Science in nursing in 1956, she was missioned to Seton Institute in Baltimore, Md., to care for mentally ill adults and ministered there as a nursing instructor until 1959. In 1959, she went to Astor Home in Rhinebeck, N.Y., to care for mentally disturbed children. After one year at Rhinebeck, Sister Virginia began studying for her Master’s Degree in nursing administration at St. John’s University in New York. After graduation in 1961, she was missioned to Providence Hospital in Detroit, Mich., as Director of Nursing Service. Six months later she was reassigned to St. Agnes Hospital, Baltimore, where she served as assistant administrator. Following this assignment, she went to Providence Hospital in Washington, D.C., and served as director of nursing service from 1964 to 1966. In 1966, she was missioned to Jacksonville, Fla., to serve as administrator of St. Vincent’s Medical Center, a position she held until 1972. Sister Virginia’s next mission was Providence Hospital in Washington, D.C., where she was the director of nursing. From there she went to DePaul Hospital in Norfolk, Va., and served as administrator from 1974 to 1985. After 11 years in Norfolk, Sister Virginia was missioned to Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola, Fla., to serve as president and chief executive officer. Her next assignment brought her back to Emmitsburg to be the Administrator of villa St. Michael, the Daughters’ senior care residence. Following this ministry, she served in Pastoral Care in several hospitals: Providence Hospital, Washington, D.C.; Sacred Heart Hospital, Pensacola; and St. Vincent’s Medical Center, Jacksonville. In 2006, Sister Virginia went to St. Joseph Parish, Martinsburg, W.V., to work in outreach as a parish visitor. In 2008, she was missioned to Villa St. Michael to serve in the Ministry of Prayer, a position she held until her death.
Sister Virginia was preceded in death by her parents and three siblings. She is survived by her brothers Michael Joseph of Walpole, Mass., and Vincent of Oklahoma City, Okla.; her sister Marie Hennessy of Roslindale, Mass.; many nieces and nephews; and her Sisters in Community.