Dr. Rose Howard, Sisters of Charity of Nazareth, who taught in the School of Education at Bellarmine for 27 years, died on Feb. 4 at Nazareth Home in Louisville at age 85.
Sister Howard initially entered the Ursuline Sisters of Mount St. Joseph but transferred into the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth in 1974.
Her early teaching experience was in the Archdiocese of Louisville, where she was one of four sisters who opened St. Leonard School. She also served as principal of St. Catherine School in New Haven and Mother of Good Counsel School.
She began her tenure at Bellarmine as a lecturer of teacher education in 1973. In 1978, she and her friend and colleague Sr. Mary Serra Goethals made their final vows as Sisters of Charity of Nazareth. That same year, Sister Howard became Dr. Howard when she received her Ph.D. in Curriculum Development from Peabody College of Vanderbilt University. She had received permission to continue her studies after Bellarmine President Eugene Petrik told
her that faculty were now expected to hold a Ph.D.
In her 27 years at Bellarmine, Dr. Howard advanced from lecturer of teacher education to assistant professor, professor of education and then director of secondary education. She chaired several committees for Bellarmine. She also served as a member of
the Board of Trustees at Spalding University. In addition to teaching, Dr. Howard was a member of the Bellarmine Campus Ministry.
Along with Dr. Goethals, Dr. Howard co-authored three national educational texts for student and intern teachers. She also published journal articles on teaching technique, served on the review committee of educational journals, made numerous state and
national conference presentations and chaired the Visiting Committee of Southern Association for many public and Catholic high schools.
In addition, she served on the boards of Sts. Mary and Elizabeth Hospital and the Ursuline Campus Schools, where she chaired a Presidential Search Committee.
As director of the SCN’s office of congregational ministries, she guided the various ministries of the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth. She later served as a board member for some of these ministries.
Drs. Howard and Goethals both retired from Bellarmine in 2000. They requested sabbatical and traveled to Belgium. After returning to Louisville, Dr. Howard volunteered for a variety of organizations. She spent several months in India where she led workshops
and visited with her SCN Sisters and their ministries.
She and Dr. Goethals also remained active in the Bellarmine community. In 2000, Dr. Howard was presented with the Msgr. Horrigan Distinguished Service Award by the Bellarmine University Alumni Association, and in 2013 they both received the Horrigan Medal,
Bellarmine’s highest honor bestowed to “individuals who embody the Spirit of Bellarmine in their lives.”
Dr. Howard’s good friend, Dr. Rosie Young, assistant professor of Education at Bellarmine, said she was “wonderful.”
“She was always so positive and had a quick wit and sense of humor.”
Memorials may be sent to the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth, Office of Mission Advancement, P.O. Box 9, Nazareth, KY 40048.