Germinario D.C., Carmelite Sr.

MENANDS- Daughter of Charity Sister Carmelite (Carmela) Germinario, died Thursday, Thanksgiving Day, November 25, 2010 at St. Louise House. Sister Carmelite was born the day after Christmas, 1919, in Molfetta, Province of Bari, Italy to Maria Luisa Silvestri and Joseph Germinario. Sister’s family journeyed to Troy, NY, when she was about a year old. She grew up in St. Mary’s Parish with her two brothers and three sisters. She attended the Parish school which she returned to in 1963 as Sister Servant and Principal. Sister became a Daughter of Charity in 1940, two years after she graduated from Catholic Central High in Troy. In 1998 Sister received the Msgr. Burns Memorial Award because her values reflected to the community at large the values of Catholic High. To prepare her for her work, Sister earned a BA from St. Joseph College, Emmitsburg, MD and an MA in theology and religious studies from Boston College. Like many Sisters of her day, she earned her college degree in 18 summers and her graduate degree in five. Her first duty in the community was as a religious educator of public school children in Oneida, NY. Sister loved the work and returned to Oneida twice and to the same work in nearby rural Canastota, NY. The religious education program included about 400 public school children and 55 volunteers. The Sisters trained the teachers who were well prepared to take over all responsibilities when the Sisters eventually left the area. In addition to religious education, Sister was a grammar school teacher in Boston, MA; Wheaton, MD; Troy, NY; Holbrook, MA. Her kindness to the children and their families was notable. She returned to her beloved Troy in 1963 as Sister Servant and Principal. She returned again by way of St. Mary’s Hospital, Seton Health in 1982 as a pastoral care associate. She loved being back among “her own” in her home town. She knew her contemporaries and their families, her grown students and soon practically all of South Troy.

In 25 years at St. Mary’s she visited patients and quietly attended to the needs of the less fortunate. Sister became a significant part of Troy where she was known for her warm smile, gentle manner, and as a “people person." Sister Carmelite was the epitome of gentleness and most affirmative. She reminded people frequently of their gifts of personality. Sister gave her compliments and affirmation daily. Sister’s gratitude and appreciation for her parents grew as she aged.

Sister is predeceased by her parents, her brothers Anthony and Maurice and her sister Sabina Thomas. Survivors include her sister Angela M. Fazio; her sister-in-law, Helen Germinario; brother-in-law Stanley Thomas and many nieces, nephews, grand-nieces and grandnephews.

Two Masses of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Tuesday, November 30, 2010. First at 9:00 AM in the DePaul Provincial House Chapel, 96 Menand Road, Albany and the second immediately following at 10:30 AM in St. Anthony of Padua Shrine Church, State Street, Troy. Calling hours will be held in the DePaul Provincial House Chapel on Monday, November 29, 2010 from 4 to 7PM with a wake service at 7:00 PM. Interment will be in St. Mary’s Cemetery, Troy, NY. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Daughters of Charity, 96 Menand Road, Albany, NY 12204.