'You'll Never Find A Better Lady Than That': Sister Liguori Rossner Remembered For Dedicating Her Life To Helping Others
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- For decades, Sister Liguori Rossner provided a hot meal for the homeless and the destitute at the Jubilee Soup Kitchen in the Hill District.
On Thursday night, she died at Mercy Hospital and is now being remembering for dedicating her life to helping the homeless.
Forty years ago, Sister Liguori Rossner and her friend Joyce Rothermel scraped together $9 and started the soup kitchen, which has been serving the hungry a hot meal every day since.
"You'll never find a better lady than that," said Steven George, a guest at the kitchen.
After a lifetime of practicing her faith by serving others, Sister Liguori died at the age of 78.
In the kitchen she founded are now people whose lives she helped transform.
"She helped a lot of people, and I'm one included," said Helen Hobdy.
Liguori fed and clothed Hobdy's children and helped get her a job years ago.
Today Hobdy is a volunteer at the kitchen, following sister's example.
"She has impacted my life, and I am going to truly miss her. I love Sister Liguori," Hobdy said.
Liguori was a doer, expanding Jubilee's mission to include a food pantry and clothing.
Then with Teresa Heinz, she helped co-found the John Heinz Child Development Center.
Her will to get things done gave her a tough love kind of style — some guests called her "Attila the Nun" for her no-nonsense way running of the kitchen.
"She was compassionate, but she was also strict and made sure everyone was behaving themselves. That was part of her personality but everyone loved her," said Paulette Blasko, the kitchen's director.
Liguori helped David Betts turn his life around, and he, in turn, became the pantry manager to help others.
"She can never die. Her body might die, but her memory lives on. As long as there's Jubilee Kitchen, there will always be Sister Liguori," Betts said.