Obituary of Angela Cools-Lartigue

Born: Marie Emily Angela Cools-Lartigue on November 5, 1929 in Roseau, Dominica, West Indies Died: March 18, 2016 at Erie County Medical Center in Buffalo, NY. Daughter of Alexander and Alexandra Sybil Potter Cools-Lartigue of Kingston, Jamaica, West Indies. She was received into the Congregation of the Franciscan Sisters of Allegany, NY at St. Elizabeth Motherhouse on July 2, 1962 and professed her final religious vows on August 29, 1969. For the next 54 years, Sr. Angela dedicated her life to the Mission of the Franciscan Sisters of Allegany. She began grade school in 1938 at Virgo Fidelis in Roseau, Dominica W.I., and also attended St. Joseph�s grade school in Castries, St. Lucia. At the age of 15, Sr. Angela graduated from St. Joseph�s high school in St. George, Grenada in 1944. For a time, she worked in the family business of banking and one year vacationed in England for the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth. While there, a childhood friend urged her to remain and study nursing. Her initial training was at the Hospital of St. John and St. Elizabeth in London; later she specialized in both orthopedic nursing at St. Vincent�s Orthopedic Hospital in Middlesex and midwifery at Kingsbury Maternity Hospital, earning her R.N. and Certified Midwife in 1959. About this time, her family had relocated to Jamaica and Sr. Angela returned there, soon becoming acquainted with the Franciscan Sisters of Allegany. Her exposure to the wonderful community service of the sisters made quite an impression and she decided to enter in 1961. She went on to continue her education at St. Elizabeth Teaching School (now part of St. Bonaventure University), St. Louis University in St. Louis, MO, and St. Petersburg Junior College in St. Petersburg, FL, earning her B.S.N. with a minor in Theology in 1970. For the next 30 years Sr. Angela served on the nursing staff of several congregational hospitals in Florida: St. Anthony�s in St. Petersburg; St. Mary�s in West Palm Beach; St. Francis in Miami Beach; and in Tampa, St. Joseph�s and St. Francis Residence. She also spent a year in Mississippi working in parish ministry and for the Federal Government in public health nursing with the Choctaw Indians. Later on, Sr. Angela spent nearly five years in Lake Providence, LA, working with women and children in an impoverished area. She was a pivotal force in renewing and strengthening community service programs and forging much needed unity between the black and white populations of the area. Sr. Angela�s favorite Scripture passage was the story of the woman who touched Jesus� cloak. Her life became a testament to that story, as Angela laid her shyness aside, enabling her to take up and overcome the challenges before her. In 2000, Sr. Angela entered retirement, spending time at St. Anthony�s convent in St. Petersburg, Immaculate Conception convent in Kingston, Jamaica and St. Elizabeth�s and St.Clare�s in Tampa, before being welcomed home to St. Elizabeth Motherhouse in Allegany in 2009. Sr. Angela was predeceased by her parents and brothers, Anthony Ronald and Joseph Raphael and a sister, Augusta Payne. She is survived by her sisters, Sr. Celia Cools-Lartigue OSF and Rosamund Rutland, as well as many nieces and nephews. A Wake Service is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Monday, March 28, 2016 in the Chapel at St. Elizabeth Motherhouse, Allegany, NY. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 1:00 p.m. Tuesday, March 29, 2016 in the Chapel of St. Elizabeth Motherhouse, followed by burial in St. Bonaventure Cemetery, Allegany, NY. The funeral arrangements are under the direction of Letro-McIntosh-Spink Funeral Home, Inc. 646 East State Street, Olean, New York.