Sister Annette Roach, OP

October 30, 1929 ~ December 6, 2025

Annette Roach, OP (Sister Mary Daniel) of the Dominican Sisters of Hope, died December 6, 2025, in The Bronx, NY. She was 96 years of age.

The daughter of the late John Joseph and Rhea Castonguay Roach, she was born October 30, 1929, in Fall River, Massachusetts.

Sister Annette entered the novitiate of the Dominican Sisters of Fall River, Massachusetts on February 1, 1948, made her First Profession August 30, 1949, and Final Profession August 30, 1952. Sister Annette earned her BA in English and History from Regis College in Massachusetts, and her MA in English and Masters in Education from Boston College.

Sister Annette started her education ministry as an elementary level teacher at Dominican Academy in Fall River MA and then served at St. Peter's Elementary School in Plattsburgh NY. She taught at St. Peter's High School in Plattsburgh. She was assistant principal and teacher at St. Bernadette School in New Haven CT, and then principal of St. Francis Xavier Elementary School in Acushnet MA. Sister taught secondary level at Dominican Academy in Fall River MA. She was assistant director of Model Cities for the New Bedford Public Schools, New Bedford MA. She then moved to Seiling, Oklahoma, where she did social work with the Dominican Sisters United for Ministry. Following that she was a reading specialist at St. Michael's Indian School in St. Michael, AZ. Returning to the northeast, Sister Annette was principal at Jesus Saviour School in Newport RI. She then began parish ministry at St. Gregory the Great Parish in Warwick RI. In 1992, Sister Annette was elected Prioress of the Dominican Sisters of Fall River MA. At the completion of her term Sister Annette moved to the Parish of Christ the King in Mashpee MA in 1996, as director of Christian Formation. In 2018 she retired to the Wartburg in Mount Vernon, NY.

Sister Annette was an educator, a Prioress, and a pioneer traveling to Oklahoma and Arizona, teaching and working with the Cheyenne, Arapaho and Navaho people.  Sister loved to have fun and had a smile that would light up your day!   She loved to travel, often joining in on Parish trips.  Her travels also took her to the lands of her ancestors, Ireland and Canada. While living in Cape Cod, she enjoyed spending time at the beach and even while at Wartburg she rarely missed her afternoon walk outside and sitting in the sun (of course first she had her afternoon siesta).

Sister Annette is survived by her Dominican Sisters of Hope and nieces, Claire Green, Frances Willcox, and Susan Warburton. She is predeceased by her parents and her siblings Blanche Roach, Claire Bishop, Estelle Roach, John Roach, Mary Walsh and Rhea Reilly.

A celebration of Sister Annette's life will take place on Friday December 12, 2025, at the Center of Hope at Mariandale, Ossining, New York.  The viewing will take place starting at 9:00 a.m. followed by a wake service at 10:15 a.m. and Mass of Christian Burial at 11:00 a.m. Immediately following the liturgy, Sister will be buried in the Dominican Sisters of Hope Cemetery on the grounds of the Center of Hope at Mariandale in Ossining, New York.

Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Brooks Funeral Home, Gidney Avenue, Newburgh, New York.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Sister Annette's name can be made to the Development Office of the Dominican Sisters of Hope, 299 North Highland Avenue, Ossining, NY 10562.