A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated March 23 by Bishop Arthur Serratelli of Paterson for Filippini Sister Anita Canale who died March 21 in St. Joseph Hall at Villa Walsh, Morristown. She was 83.

Born in Watertown, N.Y., Sister Anita entered the Religious Teachers Filippini Oct. 23, 1955 and received the religious habit Aug. 26, 1956. On Aug. 30, 1959, she made her final religious profession.

Sister Anita held a bachelor of science degree in elementary education from Seton Hall University, South Orange. She taught in schools in archdioceses and dioceses in New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. In the Trenton Diocese, she served as a middle school teacher in St. Joachim School, Trenton, 1957-1958; Villa Victoria Academy, Ewing, 1969-1973, and Holy Innocents School, Neptune, 1976-1977. She also served in a number of schools as a principal and In her later years of ministry, she was a pastoral minister in Holy Family Parish, Nutley, where she was the moderator for the St. Lucy Filippini and Rosary Societies. Sister Anita was provincial secretary for the late Sister Clare Testa,  and secretary at the General Chapter, Rome, Italy. In 2006, she became assistant to the archivist at Villa Walsh and assisted in the archives until her health failed.

Sister Anita is survived by a brother, three sisters and many nieces and nephews.

Burial was in Ave Maria Cemetery.

Memorial donations may be sent to St. Joseph Hall, c/o, Sister Ascenza Tizzano, provincial superior, Villa Walsh, 455 Western Ave., Morristown, N.J. 07960.