Anastasia Chernitsky, SCN

Anastasia Chernitsky, SCN, 87, born in Juniata, Pennsylvania, died March 27, 2021, at Nazareth Home, Louisville, Kentucky. Sister was in her 67th year of professed religious life.
In 1951, Sister Anastasia entered the Vincentian Sisters of Charity (which merged with the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth) from St. John the Evangelist Parish in Connellsville, PA.

Sister Anastasia had always been drawn to caring for the ill and elderly and first ministered at Vincentian Home in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Although she completed a portion of formal training at Mercy School of Nursing, Sister Anastasia felt God was calling her to teach. She majored in math and earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh.

Sister Anastasia taught in the Diocese of Pittsburgh at St. Dominic, Donora; St. Ursula, Allison Park; St. Bartholomew, Crabtree; St. Thomas High, Braddock; and Vincentian High School, Pittsburgh. Sister also taught in the Diocese of Greensburg at St. Mary, Uniontown and Cardinal Mooney High in Youngstown, Ohio. She also taught CCD classes, first communion preparation classes and even tutored other Sisters.

In 1978, Sister Anastasia began ministry at Regency Hall Nursing Home in Pittsburgh where she served in a number of roles. She created “Reality Orientation” classes for those with dementia to help residents stay oriented and navigate memory loss. She served as a receptionist, as well as overseeing payroll for 18 years. From 2001 to 2008, Sister Anastasia also oversaw the payroll at St. Louise Convent, and volunteered in the mail room. In recent years, she ministered in the apostolate of prayer.

Sister Anastasia was much loved by former patients and students alike. A sports enthusiast, she supported sports teams wherever she taught. Over the years, many of her students kept in touch and visited her. She was also a prolific writer, a gifted poet, and loved sharing a good joke with others.

One of ten children, Sister Anastasia is survived by her sister, Helen Piwowar, and sister-in-law, Dorothy Chernitsky; godchild, Tom Cheritsky (Linda); nieces and nephews, great nieces and nephews, and great-great nieces and nephews; many cousins; and by members of her religious community.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Matthew and Mary Chernitsky; brothers, Matthew (Ann-First Wife, Ruth-Second Wife), Thomas (Anne), John (Dorothy), and Edward; infant brother, August Joseph; sisters, Mary Margaret, Dorothy Tupta (Michael), Elizabeth ‘Betty’ Hudak (Joseph); brother-in-law, John Piwowar.

In light of the pandemic, a Memorial Mass will be held at a later date at her home Parish of St. John the Evangelist R.C. Church, Connellsville.

Sister Anastasia was buried in the Nazareth Cemetery on Monday, April 5, 2021, at 1 p.m.

The prayer ritual was filmed and will be shared.
Funeral Arrangements were handled by Ratterman Funeral Home, 3800 Bardstown Road, Louisville and care was then transferred to the PAUL G. FINK FUNERAL HOME, INC 418 North Pittsburgh Street Connellsville, PA 15425. Memorials may be sent to the SCN Office of Mission Advancement, P.O. Box 9, Nazareth, Kentucky, 40048.

A special thank you to Sister Sarah Geier and Sister Kay Glunk for their compassionate care of Sister Anastasia.

Online condolences may be shared at www.ratterman.com or www.paulgfinkfuneralhome.com.

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