46-year teacher, Sister Mary Josephine, dies at 90

Sister of St. Joseph Mary Josephine Smith, a native of New Roads, Louisiana, who taught in Catholic schools of the Archdiocese of New Orleans, died Sept. 12 in Marian Hall at the Wichita Center of the Congregation of St. Joseph in Wichita, Kansas.

She was 90 and had served for 69 years in religious life.

Sister Mary Josephine was the daughter of Joseph Guarino Sr. and Josephine Irnonnie Guarino. She graduated from St. Joseph Academy in New Orleans in 1951, professed first vows on March 20, 1953, and final vows on Aug. 15, 1956.

She graduated from Loyola University New Orleans with a B.S. in education in 1965, followed by Montessori certification in 1975. Her 46 years of teaching became a ministry which she dearly loved, especially teaching primary age children and the importance she placed on the Montessori method of teaching small children.

She was preceded in death by her parents and her siblings, Virginia Guarino Lorusso, Dr. Guy Guarino and Russell Guarino. She is survived by her brother, Joseph Guarino Jr.

Her Funeral Mass was celebrated in Resurrection Chapel in Wichita, Kansas, on Sept. 21.