Sister Frances Karovic, SMIC, died peacefully on Dec. 30, 2019, at the age of 79 at home in Galloway.
Sister Fran entered the Missionary Sisters of the Immaculate Conception of the Mother of God in 1959 in West Paterson, N.J. She attended The Sacred Heart Dominican College in Houston, Texas, and Columbia University in New York City earning an M.S.N. Community Mental Health degree. The latter included a two year grant.
Sister Fran’s lifelong work was nursing, taking her to Guanay, Bolivia, where she worked as a clinic nurse. Back in New Jersey, she associated herself with Barnert Memorial Hospital, Essex County Hospital Center, and Veterans Administration Hospital in East Orange, serving as a psychiatric nurse. She moved to California in 1976, where she worked as a clinical health nurse specialist at the Desert Community Mental Health Clinic in Blythe, California, as well as Beaumont, California.
After retiring in 1999, she volunteered her work to Saint Kateri Tekakwitha Parish and later to Carol’s Kitchen, feeding the hungry. In 2019, she was missioned to Galloway.
Sister Fran wished to express her deep love and gratitude to her family and friends. In her own words, “Love knows no time, space, distance and never ends.”
Sister Fran was born in Queens, New York, on May 27, 1940 to Frank and Emily Karovic. She was preceded in death by her mother and father; by her stepmother, Valeria Karovic; her brother, Frank S. Karovic; and step sister, Theresa Hamilton.
She is survived by her sister-in-law, Diana Karovic; nieces Virginia Amejka, Valerie Cherry and husband, Danny Cherry; nephew, Frank E. Karovic and wife, Christine Karovic; and great niece Emilie Karovic and great nephew Blayke, as well as many family members and life long friends.
A funeral Mass was celebrated Jan. 4 at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church, Galloway. Interment was planned for the cemetery of the Missionary Sisters on Rifle Camp Road, Woodland Park, N.J.
Condolences can be sent to: smic@optonline.net Donations can be sent to Popcorn Park Zoo, 1 Humane Way, Forked River, New Jersey 08731.