Longtime hospital administrator Sister Eva dies at 85|[3/8/05]

Published 12:00 am Tuesday, March 8, 2005

Sister Mary Eva Loyacono, R.S.M., a Vicksburg native and administrator of the former Mercy Regional Medical Center, died Monday, March 7, 2005, at her home in Baton Rouge. She was 85.

“This came as a shock to all of us because she was in relatively good health,” said Sister Patricia Parker, also a Religious Sister of Mercy and a former medical staff member at Mercy.

“She was one of the finest ladies I have ever known,” said Robert Quimby, an administrator who worked with Sister Eva at Mercy. “She was a good, good hospital administrator.”

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Sister Eva was the daughter of the late Charles and Eva Coccaro Loyacono and was a 1937 graduate of St. Francis Xavier Academy. She entered the St. Louis Province of the Sisters of Mercy in Webster Grove, Mo., in 1938. After receiving her novitiate training, she received the habit in 1939 and made her profession of final vows in 1944.

She received a bachelor’s degree in education from Our Lady of the Lake College in San Antonio, Texas, and did graduate work in school administration at Notre Dame University. She received her master’s degree in hospital administration from St. Louis University and served her residency in hospital administration at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Birmingham, Ala.

Sister Eva taught in the Catholic schools in Mississippi for 13 years before joining the Mercy Hospital staff in 1959. She held the positions of administrative dietitian, director of personnel, administrative assistant and assistant administrator before becoming administrator in 1966.

“She was a good CEO of the hospital” said Dr. Richmond Sharbrough, a physician specializing in anesthesiology on the Mercy staff for many years.

Shirley Farish, a former ER nurse said a key to Sister Eva’s success was in minding the details. “She was one person who knew what was going on in that hospital,” Farish said. “She was concerned about the patients. She was a fabulous administrator.”

Sister Eva served as administrator of the medical center for 16 years, until Feb. 1, 1982.

During her tenure at Mercy, Sister Eva organized the Mercy Hospital Auxiliary in 1959 and was responsible for planning a permanent residence for the sisters, being instrumental in planning the construction of McAuley Home and several of the expansions of the hospital facilities.

Sister Eva organized Mercy’s Department of Education, Department of Social Services and the home health-care service.

After leaving Mercy, Sister Eva received her education in pastoral counseling from Ecumenical Center in San Antonio and received her certificate in applied gerontology from Mississippi State University. She did graduate study at the University of London, England, and received her graduate certificate in 1984. She was administrator of McAuley Home in Vicksburg until it closed in December 1999.

“Vicksburg was her home,” said Andrea Hughes, a friend for many years. “She loved the people of Vicksburg. She never left Vicksburg (even when she was not here). I usually talked to her every week, and she always asked what was happening.”

“Sister Eva loved Vicksburg and the hospital,” said Sister Patricia. “It was her life.”

Sister Eva was a past member of the Mississippi Hospital Association Board of Governors, past president of the Mississippi Hospital Association Trustees, a member of the American College of Hospital Administrators and the Sodality of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Since 1999, she had been a resident of Baton Rouge, where she participated in Mercy Ministry until her death.

In addition to her parents, Sister Eva was preceded in death by a sister, Anna Marie Cangelosi; two brothers, Paul Loyacono and the Rev. Charles Loyacono; and a niece, Delia Pyle.

She is survived by a sister, Eva L. Coco of Baton Rouge; and several nieces and nephews.

A funeral Mass will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at St. Paul Catholic Church with the Rev. Patrick Farrell, pastor, as celebrant. Burial will be at Cedar Hill Cemetery with Riles Funeral Home in charge.

Visitation will be from 5:30 until 7 tonight at St. Paul Catholic Church with a wake service at 7 p.m.

Pallbearers will be Robert Quimby, Paul Kelly Loyacono, Bill Loyacono, John Cesare, Joe Coccaro, Willie Hughes, Leo Triche and Tommy Coco.