Rochester - Sister Loretta Poole, a Sister of St. Joseph for more than 70 years, died Feb. 1, 2026. She was one day short of her 95th birthday.

Sister Poole entered the congregation in 1954 from her home parish of St. Alphonsus, Auburn. She earned a bachelor's degree in education in 1962 from Nazareth College. She also earned a certificate in retirement housing management from the University of Michigan.

Sister Poole began teaching at Corpus Christi in 1956. She also taught at Holy Trinity, Webster and St. Elizabeth in Selma, Alabama. In 1964, Sister Poole was assigned as the director of personnel at St. Ann's Home and in 1972, she was appointed assistant administrator there.

In 1975, Sister Poole was elected to congregational leadership. This was followed by six years of service as administrator at St. Joseph Convent Infirmary. Sister Poole then went to St. Mary Church for two years as pastoral assistant.

In 1988, Sister Poole was assigned as local coordinator at the Nazareth Academy Convent. While serving in this capacity, she also volunteered with Morning Star, a home for fragile infants, and St. Martin's Place, a soup kitchen.

After studying chemical dependency at SUNY Brockport from 1992-93, Sister Poole worked in that field at St. Joseph's Hospital in Elmira, Park Ridge Hospital in Greece and at St. Joseph's Neighborhood Center in Rochester until 2001. She then volunteered in sisters' care until 2010. In 2009, she moved to the motherhouse where she continued to provide congregational service.

Sister Poole is survived by many friends; and her sisters in the congregation.

Her funeral liturgy was celebrated Feb. 6, 2026, with burial at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Sisters of St. Joseph Ministry Fund at https://www.ssjrochester.org or by mailing Dawn Gruba at 150 French Road, Rochester, NY 14618.

-- Courier obituary by Gina Capellazzi