MARLBOROUGH -Sister Anne Collignon, 78, a Sister of St. Anne in her 58th year of religious life, known in religion as Sister Marie Anne Rosa, died Saturday, Oct. 10, 2009 at Marie Esther Health Center. The daughter of the late Gaston and Rosa (Casse) Collignon of Central Falls, R.I., she completed her education at St. Matthew elementary and Notre Dame High School in Central Falls. Sister Anne earned a B. A. degree from Rivier College in Nashua, N.H.
Sister Anne entered the Novitiate of the Sisters of St. Anne in Lachine, Quebec in 1949. After pronouncing her religious vows in 1951, she remained in Quebec where she taught at St. Michael, Queen of Angels, Holy Family schools in Montreal. She went on to work in Kahnawake and St. Regis Indian Day Schools in Quebec. In 1968 Sister returned to the United States and taught in St. James, Manville, R.I., and St. Joseph and Holy Name in Worcester, Bishop Guertin High School as a teacher and librarian, and as librarian at Nashua Catholic Regional Junior High in Nashua.
She is survived by her sisters, Sr. Juliette Collignon, S.S.A., Rhea Levesque and her husband, Normand, Jeanne Petit and her husband, Andre, and her Sisters in Community. She was the sister of the late Jean Louis Collignon, S.C., and special friend of Sister Rollande Ferland.
The wake will take place Tuesday, Oct. 13, from 2 to 4:30 p.m. at St. Anne Convent, 720 Boston Post Road East, Marlborough, with a prayer service at 4:30. The funeral Mass will be celebrated Wednesday, Oct. 14 at 10 a.m., at the Convent Chapel, with burial in Saint Mary Cemetery, Marlborough. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Fitzgerald & Collins Funeral Home, (www.CollinsFuneral.com.) 378 Lincoln Street, Marlborough.
A memorial contribution may be made to the Sisters of St. Anne Retirement Fund, 720 Boston Post Road East, Marlborough, MA 01752 or a charity of your choice.