Sr. Benigna Espinosa, OSF, former head of Silverlake girls' home, dies
Funeral Mass was held Nov. 4 at the Chapel of El Poverello Retreat Home for Franciscan Missionary Sister Benigna Espinosa, "Mother Benigna," who died on Oct. 29 at the Mother Gertrude Balcazar Home for the Elderly in San Fernando.

As the former Mother Superior of the Immaculate Conception Home for Girls in Los Angeles' Silverlake district for over 30 years, Sister Espinosa cared for over 5,000 orphans and wards of the court.

A native of Los Angeles, she graduated from Immaculate Heart College and joined the Franciscan Missionary Sisters of the Immaculate Conception in 1942. In 1954, she was selected to head her religious order's newly-opened girls' home, located on the former hilltop estate of actor Antonio Moreno and oil heiress, Daisy Canfield Moreno.

Sister Espinosa, with the help of her fellow Franciscans, fulfilled the role of a mother to thousands of girls who became productive citizens in the community. After a 1987 earthquake seriously damaged the girls' home, Mother Benigna moved to smaller quarters on the property and helped oversee the eventual sale of the property benefiting other Franciscan building projects in San Fernando.

Sr. Susan Evans, BVM
Funeral Mass was celebrated Nov. 28 at Marian Hall in Dubuque, Iowa, for Sister of Charity Susan Evans, 96, who died Nov. 23.

Born in DeKalb, Ill., she entered the BVM congregation in 1933. From 1943-52, she taught at Catholic Girls High School, Los Angeles. She also taught high school in Minnesota, Missouri and Wisconsin and served on the staff of Wright Hall in Chicago.

Survivors include her sisters, Patricia Diebold and Bernadette Fitzsimmons, and a brother, Joseph Evans. Memorial donations may be sent in care of the BVM Retirement Fund, 1100 Carmel Drive, Dubuque, Iowa.

Sr. Ann Patrick McNulty
Funeral Mass was celebrated Nov. 25 at Church of the Immaculate Conception in St. Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana, for Providence Sister Ann Patrick McNulty (Margaret Cecelia), 81, who died Nov. 19.

Born in Indianapolis, she entered the Congregation of the Sisters of Providence in 1942 and ministered in schools in California, Indiana and Oklahoma. Locally, she taught at St. Joseph in Hawthorne (1949-50) and served as principal at St. Elizabeth in Van Nuys (1950-53).

Jeanne Albert, IHM
Funeral Mass was celebrated Nov. 16 at Our Mother of Good Counsel Church in Los Angeles for Jeanne Albert, IHM (Sister Mary Edward), who died Nov. 11 at St. Vincent's Hospital.

Albert joined the Immaculate Heart Sisters in 1941 and taught for many years in parochial schools, including Immaculate Heart of Mary, Blessed Sacrament and Queen of Angels at a time when there were never fewer than 50 students in a class. In 1968, she joined the Colton Public Schools where she taught and served as principal until she retired in 1992.

She moved to the IHM Residence in 1994 where she volunteered in a variety of capacities. According to community members, she was a friend to many and "had a big heart, a big laugh, a trove of funny stories and an inquiring mind." Burial was at Calvary Cemetery in Los Angeles.