Sister Margaret Rose Cano, MSC

Opelousas -Sister Margaret Rose Cano, MSC (AKA Mary Magdalene Cano) was born March 22, 1934 in Shreveport, LA. After a brief illness, she died at Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas, Texas on May 8, 2024 at 3:31 P.M.

She was preceded in death by her father, Frank Cano and her mother Lena O’Neal Cano. She was also preceded in death by her siblings: Nina Zamazal, Frankie Wamble, Margaret Collins, Dolores St. Martin, Nell Stoner, Catherine Frazier, Mary Grace Cano, William Cano, Richard Cano, Ellis Cano.

Survivors include: her sister, Gloria Cano, and numerous nieces, nephews, and their families who love her and will miss her.

She entered the religious congregation of the Daughters of the Cross in Shreveport, LA in1950 and pronounced perpetual vows on August 15, 1957. An avid learner all of her life, Sister received a Baccalaureate Degree in Economics and Finance from St. Louis University in 1968. In 1971, She received a Masters Degree in Finance and Economics from LSU in Baton Rouge. In 1973, she received a Masters Degree in Administration and Supervision in secondary education from the University of Northeastern in Monroe, LA. In 1984, she received a Masters Degree in theology from the University of Dallas. Having an inquisitive mind and interested in many topics, she continued taking courses and studying throughout her life.

As a Daughter of the Cross, Sister served in high school education and administration in Marksville, Bossier City, Lake Providence, and Shreveport, Louisiana. Her students remember her as firm and strict as well as caring and compassionate. During these early years, she also served in congregational administration and in the finance office for the Daughters of the Cross.

Inspired to follow another call in her life, she transferred to the Marianites of Holy Cross in June of 1997 and pronounced her vows as a Marianite on October 12, 1997. After becoming a Marianite, she continued to live in Dallas and to serve on the staff of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) in the Dallas regional office. During this time, she was also involved in many church-related activities including assisting Mother Theresa of Calcutta and the Missionaries of Charity in the establishment of a convent and a ministry in Dallas.

While in Dallas, Sister developed friendships with many families and became the adopted grandmother to the grandchildren of her dear friend, Jane Bret. According to the family: “She taught, nurtured and loved us from infancy to adulthood. She fostered in us a love of learning, encouraged us to serve our communities, and to be kind with words and deeds. She faithfully participated in our school and family activities. She prayed with us and for us and kept our family stories and memories alive. We will dearly miss her!”

After serving on the staff of CMS in the Dallas regional office for 30 years, Sister moved to Lafayette in 2016. She then worked in the medical records office at Our Lady of Prompt Succor Nursing Home in Opelousas. Upon completion of this service in June 2020, her time in Lafayette was spent in outreach to others. As one person in Lafayette said: “Sr. Margaret Rose will be greatly missed! She never met a stranger and was always reaching out to others in blessed charity and grace.”

Sr. Margaret Rose was a person of connections. She reached out to a variety of people including co-workers, clerks at grocery stores, staff in her various ministries and former students. For her family, she was also a person of connections. “Among the many differences and personalities of a large family, many of us experienced her as a unifier and peace-maker. We respected her and, when needed, we could count on her to call us to task. She was honest in her relationships with us and she had a fantastic memory! We depended on her to keep alive our family stories.”

Sister was quick-witted, generous with her time and affection, organized and passionate about helping others. She was famously known to bring treats to others. As a bargain hunter, she would scour the aisles in her favorite stores and then disperse the treats from her car. In

addition to personal visits, she had an active telephone ministry. She kept in touch with many people, checking on them, and praying for their intentions. While she was considerate of others, she also had strong opinions and communicated these with determination and conviction.

The constant force in her life was her participation in daily mass and her fidelity to daily prayer. Through her prayer life, she supported others in prayer and action. Overall, Sister was a person of joy using her incessant energy to bring people together through her love for cooking, her skills as a chef, her stories about family and friends. She delighted in preparing a banquet and in having everyone at the table with her. As Sr. Margaret Rose enters eternal life, the Lord joyfully greets her: Well done good and faithful servant! Come, enjoy the banquet I have prepared specially for you!

To celebrate her life, a wake service will be held on Sunday, May 19, 2024 from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM with the rosary at 6:00 PM in the chapel at Our Lady of Prompt Succor Nursing Home in Opelousas.

The service will continue on Monday, May 20, 2024 with a wake service from 8:30 AM to 10:30 AM. The funeral mass will begin at 10:30 AM and burial will follow in St. Landry Cemetery in Opelousas.

In lieu of flowers, the Marianites of Holy Cross request that memorial donations be made to the Marianites of Holy Cross Congregational Center at 75520 Hwy 1081, Covington, Louisiana, 70435.

Words of Comfort to the family may be expressed at www.sibillefuneralhomes.com. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Sibille Funeral Home of Opelousas.