Maria Imaculada GARDNER (aka Sister Rita) [1895-1986]

Submitted by Admin on Thu, 11/22/2018 - 21:55
Names
Given
Maria Imaculada
Family
Gardner
Alias / nickname
Sister Rita
Sex
Female
Status
Deceased
Born
Date
Birthplace (country)
Hong Kong
Died
Date
Connections: This person is ...

Photos that show this Person

Comments

Full Family Name: Maria Imaculada Gardner

Birth: 25 May 1895, Hong Kong

Death: 4 Mar 1986, Hong Kong

Question: is there any information as the where abouts of Sr Rita's remains? I would like to enter the information into FindAGrave.com. Thanks.

Hello Roy,

Sister Rita was interred at St Michael's Catholic Cemetery (Happy Valley, Hong Kong).

Sr Rita looked after my mother when my mother was a young girl boarding at St Paul's Convent School, so my mother and grandmother knew her well. When Sr Rita passed away in 1986, I went to her funeral with my mother and grandmother, at Christ the King Chapel just adjoining St Paul's Convent School in Causeway Bay. It was an open casket funeral and we paid our respects. Afterwards, my mother and grandmother went to St Michael's Catholic Cemetery, and my mother verifies just now that Sr Rita was indeed laid to rest there.

St Michael's caretakers and administrative office personnel are very helpful. I only recently emailed them with my relatives' info, and they happily emailed back very promptly with grave locations, etc.

As David had provided above, the email I used was:

St. Michael's Catholic Cemetery

Happy Valley, Hong Kong. Tel: 2572-6078
E-mail: ccemstmichael@catholic.org.hk

There is an online repository of St Michael's interment records via familysearch.org, but it only goes up to 1983 for St Michael's (see the conversation chain that David provided above), and since Sr Rita passed in 1986, I couldn't find her grave location, but just email St Michael's - they'll tell you quite quickly.

Hope this helps.

Best wishes, Vanessa

Vanessa,

Thanks for your response and kind comments about Sister Rita. I have followed Dave's advise and did e-mail my request to Saint Michael's administrators. Hopefully my request will be tended with the same care you received.

In case you are interested, I have built a memorial for Sister Rita in Find A Grave (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/195128877/maria-imaculada-gardner).

Best regards,

Roy

Yes thank you, Roy - I did see that already!

Too bad I only saw your request now - I was just in HK and was actually visitng St Michael's end of November, also taking pictures of my relatives on my Dad's side. Next time I go, I can take a picture of Sr Rita's grave, if someone else hasn't done it by then already. My mum would love to pay her a visit. I'll monitor the Find a Grave website to see where her grave is located after St Michael's gets back to you.

Best wishes, Vanessa

Vanessa,

Thanks for your offer to get a picture of Sr. Rita's grave. It sure would put the necessary closure to her memorial. When I created the memorial just a few days ago I did post a request for the picture. As of now the request remains unclaimed on the Find A Grave portal. If you do get a chance to visit HK again, please check to see if my request has been fulfilled. I also have an open request for a picture of Sr Jean. The two were sisters.

Best regards,

Roy

Dear Roy,

 

A family relative of mine kindly took the pictures for Sister Rita and Sister St. Jean at St Michael's Catholic Cemetery today - they are uploaded!

 

This is Sister's Rita's

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/195128877/maria-imaculada-gardner

 

I posted Sister St. Jean's under her page (https://gwulo.com/node/42488#comment-46368)

 

Best wishes

Vanessa

I should mention that, I noticed that Sr Rita's date of death was listed as 4th March 1986 according to your records. This was indeed what the caretaker at St Michael's had written down after looking up in their system (I can send you the handwritten piece of paper):

 

"SISTER RITA (MARIA Imaculada GARDNER)

25/5/1895 - 4/3/1986"

 

However, on her memorial on the vault for the Sister de St Paul Chartres, it is inscribed that she died 27/7/1986. Any insights as to why that might be?

best wishes,

vanessa