Page 1 of 13 
 
Washington Women’s Heritage Project records, 1900-2000 
University of Washington Libraries Special Collections 
Sister Rita Carmen Bergamini 
December 12, 1980 
Cassette 1, Side 1 
 
 
Susan Lynn Ehlers  00:01 
--think I have it pretty well set up here in terms of-- uh, Sister Rita Bergamini of the Sisters of 
Providence, interviewed by Susan Ehlers for Washington Women's Heritage Project, December 
12, 1980, tape one, side one. Okay, Sister Rita Bergamini, and when you first entered the order, 
you took the name Marie Carmen, but now you changed back to what your name was originally. 
 
Sister Rita Bergamini  00:35 
Yes, at profession time, we were given the privilege of choosing a name, and we-- I chose it at 
that time. That was in 1945. 
 
Susan Lynn Ehlers  00:43 
Okay, and I don't have to worry about maiden name or marriages.  
 
Sister Rita Bergamini  00:52 
No. 
 
Susan Lynn Ehlers  00:52 
Okay. Date of birth? 
 
Sister Rita Bergamini  00:53 
1921, July 16.  
 
Susan Lynn Ehlers  00:57 
1921, and where?  
 
Sister Rita Bergamini  00:58 
In Martinez, California. 
 
Susan Lynn Ehlers  01:04 
Okay, and your education? [Papers rustling] OK, I'll start right here.  
 
Sister Rita Bergamini  01:13 
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I was educated in the local public schools in Martinez from grade one to twelve. I graduated 
from Alhambra Union High School in 1939. I was 17 at that time. You had to be 18 before you 
entered the School of Nursing, and the class ended in July 22, so I was just barely 18, but I 
entered Providence College of Nursing in Oakland, and then graduated as a graduate of the 
School of Nursing in 1942. I applied for my license and received the licensured RN in California. 
And I entered the Sisters of Providence in 1942, and completed my preliminary program with 
them to become a sister, and made first vows in 1945. I'll just go through the educational 
program first, and then I'll go through the professional experiences, and I'll complete the years. 
In 19-- from '47 to '50, I attended Seattle University, usually in the summers. I obtained a degree 
in-- a Bachelor of Science in Nursing Education from Seattle University in June 1950. In 1953 to 
'54 I attended the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., and received a Master of 
Science in Nursing. Then I had courses at the University of Washington. And in 1960, I attended 
the Immaculate Heart College in Los Angeles, California, for a fall semester to bring my 
educational background up in the liberal arts so that I could enter the University of California in 
graduate work, which I did in 1961 and completed a doctorate, a PhD, in 1964. 
 
Susan Lynn Ehlers  03:28 
That was at...? 
 
Sister Rita Bergamini  03:30 
A PhD with a major in education and a minor in administration, and that was really funded by 
United States Public Health Service under the HEW Nurse Research Fellowship Award that I 
was given at that time that covered that. 
 
Susan Lynn Ehlers  03:49 
I was gonna say, was that-- the name of the college was?  
 
Sister Rita Bergamini  03:52 
That was the University of California, Berkeley.  
 
Susan Lynn Ehlers  03:56 
At Berkeley. Okay. 
 
Sister Rita Bergamini  04:01 
Now I'll go through the professional experiences, which will fill in those years. 1942, when I 
finished in the School of Nursing, in July, I worked as assistant head nurse in the medical 
surgical division, until 1943, January-February, when I entered the Sisters of Providence. And as 
I completed my bishop in the Sisters of Providence, I was professed in 1945, February. Very 
next day, I went to St. Vincent Hospital in Portland, and was assigned as assistant obstetrical 
nursing supervisor. And I worked in that-- however, the supervisor left to go off to study, so I 
was the main supervisor, and continued that position till 1947. In 1947, I went to St. Elizabeth's 
Hospital as obstetric supervisor for one year, '47-'48. And then after that interim, there at Seattle 
U., when I finished it in 1950, I was assigned the Director of the School of Nursing at St. Mary 
Hospital in Walla Walla, and retained that position till 1953. And then, after I had my Master's of 
Science in Nursing, I was assigned as the director of the clinical unit, Seattle University School 
of Nursing, Providence Hospital, Seattle, Washington. Providence Hospital was the major 
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clinical unit for the nursing students in the program, and I retained that position till 1960 [papers 
rustling]. 1961, I went to Immaculate Heart for that-- oh, I went to-- oh, I mentioned that, 
University of California. Okay. When I finished my work at the University of California in '64 to 
1971, I was the secretary in the-- of the Board of Directors of the Sisters of Providence, and the 
seven member board of directors governs the Sacred Heart Province personnel, schools, medical 
centers, hospitals and nursing centers of The Sisters of Providence in Washington, Alaska, 
Oregon, and California. So, this geographical vocation is is known as the Sisters of Providence, 
Sacred Heart Province. And in 1972, I was named as the archivist for the Sisters of Providence, 
the first full-time archivist for this province. We've always had archives, since 1858, in the first 
printed copy of the Constitution, the sisters had one chapter on the importance of archives, but 
they were always under the provincial secretary's office, or the treasurer's office. But the 
development of the province and the accumulation of archives, I was named the first archivist. 
The archives includes historical artifacts, documents, photographs, audio-visual materials and so 
forth, relating to the Sisters of Providence since 1856.  
 
Susan Lynn Ehlers  07:39 
Okay.  
 
Sister Rita Bergamini  07:43 
Okay. That, uh... Now, do you want me to give you anything on the professional experiences in 
terms of organizations? 
 
Susan Lynn Ehlers  07:54 
Well, I have three lists here of interest, crafts, talents and then clubs, groups, societies, and 
awards, honors, and ribbons.  
 
Sister Rita Bergamini  08:01 
Okay, let's start with the first. Do you want-- you don't want anything on professional experience 
in terms of organization? That's up to you.  
 
Susan Lynn Ehlers  08:08 
What do you mean by organization?  
 
Sister Rita Bergamini  08:12 
Well, when I was in these positions, as-- in nursing and nursing education, first of all, I was 
registered in three states, California, Washington, Oregon. And then I was a member of the 
American Nurses Association, 1950 to 1952, in Walla Walla when I was there. In 1954 to 1960, 
in Seattle, and in 1960 in Oakland. And I was-- offices, held offices in the American Nurses 
Association. I was chairman of the Educational Administrators, Consultants and Teachers 
Section in King County for 1957-'59, and a member of the King County Nurses Association 
Board of Directors. I was a member of the National League for Nursing, 1952-'53. The 
Washington State League for Nursing. And from '54 to 1960, the Washington State League for 
Nursing, Western State League. And from 1960 to '64, the California State League. And from '64 
to '71, the Washington State League. And past offices in the National League for Nursing include 
1955 to '57, member of the program committee, and then I was vice president '56-'57. 
 
Page 4 of 13 
 
Susan Lynn Ehlers  09:41 
That was vice president of the-- 
 
Sister Rita Bergamini  09:41 
-- of the Western Washington League for Nursing. And in '58, an alternate member of the 
Collegiate Board of Review. And in 1959 to '60, a member of the Collegiate Board of Review of 
the National League for Nursing. I was a member of the National Catholic Nurses Association, 
the Archdiocese and Catholic Council of Nurses in Seattle chapter. In 1960, the Oakland chapter. 
And I was a member of the Board of Directors for the Archdiocesan Council of Catholic Nurses 
since 1955-'56. And '55-'57, chairman of the constitution and bylaws committee, and often 
served as delegates for these organizations. I maintain professional membership in Sigma Theta 
Tau, Kappa chapter, School of Nursing Education, Catholic University, from '54 up to life 
membership. Also the Pi Gamma Mu, District of Columbia, Alpha chapter, Catholic University, 
life membership since '54. Alumni Association, Catholic University School of Nursing 
Education chapter, and a member of the Pi Lambda Theta, Women's National Educational 
Society, Honor Society, Omega chapter, University of California, Berkeley, March 1962. That's 
a life membership. 
 
Susan Lynn Ehlers  11:10 
What does it take to be a live membership? Is that something you're awarded-- 
 
Sister Rita Bergamini  11:12 
--it's an invitation. By invitation. 
 
Susan Lynn Ehlers  11:45 
The others are mainly honorary nursing-- 
 
Sister Rita Bergamini  11:48 
--that's right, nursing, and one was social science and the other was education. 
 
Susan Lynn Ehlers  12:00 
Okay. I've got here, name your family background. 
 
Sister Rita Bergamini  12:04 
Okay, that's fine. I have a list right here. Mike, can you help me? I need help. I need the list.  
 
Susan Lynn Ehlers  12:11 
Oh, there we go. Okay, your mother's name? 
 
Sister Rita Bergamini  12:19 
Adalgiza Lambruschini Bergamini, I'll spell it for you. A-- no, I can show it to you. A-D-A-L-G-
I-Z-A Lambruschini. 
 
Susan Lynn Ehlers  12:33 
That was her maiden name? 
 
Page 5 of 13 
 
Sister Rita Bergamini  12:34 
Maiden name.  
 
Susan Lynn Ehlers  12:34 
B-R--  
 
Sister Rita Bergamini  12:39 
--B-E-R-G-A-M-I-N-I. My father-- No, you're not thinking of my father yet.  
 
Susan Lynn Ehlers  12:45 
Okay, your birth-- 
 
Sister Rita Bergamini  12:50 
--my birth or hers?  
 
Susan Lynn Ehlers  12:52 
Hers, hers.  
 
Sister Rita Bergamini  12:53 
May 4, 1875. 
 
Susan Lynn Ehlers  12:56 
And place? 
 
Sister Rita Bergamini  12:59 
Genoa-- well, Sestri Levanti: S-E-S-T-R-I-L-E-V-A-N-T-I, Italy.  
 
Susan Lynn Ehlers  13:07 
S-T-S-- 
 
Sister Rita Bergamini  13:11 
Sestri; S-E-S. 
 
Susan Lynn Ehlers  13:13 
S-E-S, yeah. 
 
Sister Rita Bergamini  13:15 
T-R-I-L-E-V-A N-T-I, Italy.  
 
Susan Lynn Ehlers  13:21 
Italy. 
 
Sister Rita Bergamini  13:26 
It's close to Genoa. So it's often said to be Genoa, that it's an important city there. 
 
Susan Lynn Ehlers  13:31 
Page 6 of 13 
 
I see. Marriage date? 
 
Sister Rita Bergamini  13:33 
1900, July 19, in San Francisco, California. St. Peter and Paul Church, North Beach. 
 
Susan Lynn Ehlers  13:48 
She still alive? 
 
Sister Rita Bergamini  13:49 
No.  
 
Susan Lynn Ehlers  13:49 
Okay. Year of death? 
 
Sister Rita Bergamini  13:52 
My father was-- 
 
Susan Lynn Ehlers  13:54 
--her year. 
 
Sister Rita Bergamini  13:54 
Oh, her year of death. April 2, 1966. 
 
Susan Lynn Ehlers  14:01 
Place?  
 
Sister Rita Bergamini  14:01 
Oakland, California.  
 
Susan Lynn Ehlers  14:05 
She was Italian.  
 
Sister Rita Bergamini  14:11 
That's right. 100%. 
 
Susan Lynn Ehlers  14:16 
Okay, and occupations/jobs held? 
 
Sister Rita Bergamini  14:20 
Yes, she was mostly a housewife, but artist. She also-- had [?a little?] art place-- 
 
Susan Lynn Ehlers  14:27 
--she had a shop? 
 
Sister Rita Bergamini  14:29 
Page 7 of 13 
 
--yes, I think she did, and she did lots of arts and crafts. Other than that, she didn't work outside 
the home. Before her marriage, she was a seamstress back at Livingston's in San Francisco.  
 
Susan Lynn Ehlers  14:43 
Okay, and your father? 
 
Sister Rita Bergamini  14:49 
My father is Maximillian: M-A-X-I-M-L-M-I-L-L-I-A-N Bergamini.  
 
Susan Lynn Ehlers  15:00 
And year of birth and place?  
 
Sister Rita Bergamini  15:03 
Born July 29, 1855, Bologna, Italy. B-O-L-O-G-N-A. And he was a grocer, and a laborer. He did 
other things like court interpretation. 
 
Susan Lynn Ehlers  15:22 
You mean translating-- 
 
Sister Rita Bergamini  15:23 
--translating, yes-- 
 
Susan Lynn Ehlers  15:24 
for the people in court? 
 
Sister Rita Bergamini  15:25 
Yeah, speaking about five languages, I guess. And he died in 1951, February 16.  
 
Susan Lynn Ehlers  15:30 
And place? 
 
Sister Rita Bergamini  15:40 
Oakland. California 
 
Susan Lynn Ehlers  15:41 
And he was also Italian. 
 
Sister Rita Bergamini  15:45 
That's right. 
 
Susan Lynn Ehlers  15:46 
Have any brothers and sisters?  
 
Sister Rita Bergamini  15:50 
Yeah, the first was Arthur Bergamini. Number one, because he was the first child born April 28, 
1901, and he died at the age of three of diphtheria, in 1904. The second was Marie Elizabeth, 
Page 8 of 13 
 
born November 8, 1902, and she was executive secretary at [?Alma Saint?] High School, until 
her retirement, about 50 years later, for Associated Oil Company. Also organist, and she's still 
living. 
 
Susan Lynn Ehlers  16:42 
Okay.  
 
Sister Rita Bergamini  16:43 
Arthur Bergamini II was born December 4, 1904. He's a steel worker. Also served in the armed 
forces. He's retired. Hazel, born June 4, 1906. She was a secretary, housewife, mother, and she's 
retired. She didn't work outside the home after she was married. Evelyn, born February 9, 1910. 
She's a graduate nurse, hospital administrator, and entered the Sisters of Providence in 1932. She 
served as hospital administrator of our hospitals from Alaska, Washington, Oregon area, for 21 
years straight. She's just retired, although she's working yet. 
 
Susan Lynn Ehlers  17:54 
Uh, she was born when? 
 
Sister Rita Bergamini  17:57 
February 9, 1910. Maxine, born January 6, 1915. She was married November 10, in '38. She's a 
mother. She also was a department store manager for a bit, but she's mostly housewife after her 
marriage, and mother. Yolanda: Y-O-L-A-N-D-A-- 
 
Susan Lynn Ehlers  18:50 
--hang on, wait a second.  
 
Sister Rita Bergamini  18:51 
Okay. 
 
Susan Lynn Ehlers  18:52 
Okay. Let's see, sister, Yolanda, Y-O-L-A-N-D-A? 
 
Sister Rita Bergamini  18:53 
D-A, correct. September 22, 1916. She was a teacher supervisor in public school. Also worked in 
the Navy for a bit away and a world traveler. Okay? And Raymond Arthur, born April 01, 1920. 
Carpenter, California contractor, served in the Army in World War Two, and he died in a tragic 
accident two years ago in construction, October 28-- 24, I guess it was. And then Rita the last.  
 
Susan Lynn Ehlers  19:45 
Oh, you're the youngest one?  
 
Sister Rita Bergamini  19:46 
That's right. July 16, 1921. And you have the rest of them. 
 
Susan Lynn Ehlers  19:57 
Yeah.  
Page 9 of 13 
 
 
Sister Rita Bergamini  19:57 
All of us were born in Martinez, and all of us were born at home.  
 
Susan Lynn Ehlers  20:04 
Is it Raymond Arthur?  
 
Sister Rita Bergamini  20:05 
Raymond Art, and he was born April 1, 1920. 
 
Susan Lynn Ehlers  20:10 
1920, okay. All born at home in Martinez. What was it like to be the youngest of-- I was only 
making-- 
 
Sister Rita Bergamini  20:27 
--well, I had five sisters, so I was really kind of spoiled. You know, they would make the doll 
clothes, and I would get the little surprises when they would go off on a little trip. But I enjoyed 
that. 
 
Susan Lynn Ehlers  20:43 
Remember anything about your grandparents? [Paper rustling.] 
 
Sister Rita Bergamini  20:52 
I never knew of my grandparents, they were not in this country, but my mother's father was 
Emmanuel Lambruschini: E-M-M-A-N-U-E-L. And my father's mother was Carmelina: C-A-R-
M-E-L-I-N-A Stagnaro: S-T-A-G-N-A-R-O. 
 
Susan Lynn Ehlers  21:24 
S-T-- 
 
Sister Rita Bergamini  21:24 
--A-G-N-A-R-O Lambruschini. And my mother's grandfather was Simone.  
 
Susan Lynn Ehlers  21:35 
Boy, I don't have a room for that. Okay.  
 
Sister Rita Bergamini  21:43 
Okay, I have a picture of my mother's mother. Let me grab it. [Inaudible]. 
 
Susan Lynn Ehlers  21:58 
And everybody was Italian. Alright. 
 
Sister Rita Bergamini  21:58 
Everybody was Italian. 
 
Susan Lynn Ehlers  21:59 
Page 10 of 13 
 
Right. Have any idea about birth or death dates, and places, and anything like that, or... Are you 
very vague on when your grandparents... 
 
Sister Rita Bergamini  22:12 
No, I don't really have any history on that.  
 
Sister Rita Bergamini  22:14 
I have a box of [?Denmark?] Lambruschinis and those people in Italy that I hope to do some 
research on sometime, but I [inaudible]. 
 
Susan Lynn Ehlers  22:14 
Okay, that's fine.  
 
Susan Lynn Ehlers  22:23 
What do you mean, travel to Italy?  
 
Sister Rita Bergamini  22:24 
Yes, 'cause-- yes,  I did. In 1977, my sister and I, Sister Evelyn.  
 
Susan Lynn Ehlers  22:28 
Sister Evelyn, that's the other one that's in the order-- 
 
Sister Rita Bergamini  22:31 
Sisters of Providence. In 19-- about '76, she retired, or '77 from 21 years of hospital 
administration, she was given a gift for travel, and... 
 
Susan Lynn Ehlers  22:47 
Was she the one that inspired you to go into Sisters of Providence, or was...? 
 
Sister Rita Bergamini  22:51 
Not really. I sort of had my own ideas about what I wanted to do, but when I finished in nursing, 
I made my own decision to go into it. She-- I was about eight when she left, so-- to go into 
nursing in Oakland, she also has to graduate Nursing in Providence in Oakland, so she wasn't 
really-- although she'd come home on weekends, and probably influenced me going into nursing, 
because she would come with her friends in nursing and talk about nursing.  
 
Susan Lynn Ehlers  23:14 
Oh, did you always want to be a nurse since you were a little girl? Or was that something-- 
 
Sister Rita Bergamini  23:25 
I was really interested in sports, and I think I really wanted to be a sports activity director, 
physical ed. director. Although I did have inclinations toward being a religious, or missionary, or 
nurse. 
 
Susan Lynn Ehlers  23:45 
Well, at the risk of sounding corny, did you feel it was a call from God? Or... 
Page 11 of 13 
 
 
Sister Rita Bergamini  23:49 
Very definitely, I think that's true. In the public schools in California, we always were highly 
tested. You know, we had a lot of Stanford-Binet tests, to kind of a routine thing, and at the end 
of senior year, we had girls counselors in high school and all-- so that we could always go and 
chat with them. And I did go in and chat, and took some aptitude tests. And it seemed like 
nursing was the field that it would be. My aptitude seemed to reside in that area. So, I did go into 
nursing. 
 
Sister Rita Bergamini  24:34 
--just a little bit. Oregon in '45, and then I went to Walla Walla in '47, so I've been pretty much in 
this state. Except when I went to California to go to school, right? For a few years out-- or to 
Washington-- University of Washington, DC, Catholic U. 
 
Susan Lynn Ehlers  24:59 
How do you decide, or who decides where, you know, where you're going to school if you want 
to improve your education once you're in the order or something like that? 
 
Sister Rita Bergamini  25:08 
That's a good question. Up until just about '60s, when things really changed in religious life, we 
were always assigned more or less. The community kind of would, you know, watch the sisters 
in their performance and all, and think, Well, we probably need supervisors here, or someone in 
nursing education. And so they'd reach out and say, Well, I think you should go on for your 
master's. And so we would be sent a letter and say, Now-- now, dear, you have been assigned to 
Catholic U. I know I got there two weeks before my transcript, which is interesting. 
 
Susan Lynn Ehlers  25:15 
Let's see. You've been in and out of the state of Washington-- 
 
Susan Lynn Ehlers  25:32 
[Inaudible] fool you.  
 
Sister Rita Bergamini  25:36 
Yeah, exactly! You know, I walked up to the registrar's office. Here I am. Who are you? You 
know, well, fortunately, it was okay, and then I went. Everything was second semester when I 
got there, I was sent February, and everything was, you know, have you had one Curriculum 
One?  And here I was in two, whatever. Anyway. So, the philosophy at that time was, you were 
assigned to these positions in the community at the discretion of community-- in terms of 
community needs, and usually it's on the part of the religious, it was kind of a reaching. So it was 
a very challenging thing. Now, if I look back on it, I think it's not too bad an idea, because I think 
at the present, when the person has more to say about what she's doing now, it's kind of, I would 
like to see it more of a happy medium, rather than the person herself having a lot to say about 
sort of the needs of the community and the person's interests. 
 
Susan Lynn Ehlers  26:38 
Page 12 of 13 
 
Do you feel the needs of community aren't being met, or that simply that a lot of people are too 
undecided about what they want to do?  
 
Sister Rita Bergamini  26:39 
Well, I think there's some of that in the present. You know that, of course, now we don't have as 
many schools and hospitals as we did have. Traditionally, we all served in our own institutions. 
Now, the sisters are doing other kinds of work, but before, when we were assigned, you were put 
in positions where you really reached and were challenged. Like, I don't think I would have 
aspired to be-- to go into top supervision, and the kinds of positions that was put in-- 
 
Susan Lynn Ehlers  27:16 
--it seems like you started being a supervisor, very coo-- soon after graduating. 
 
Sister Rita Bergamini  27:21 
Yeah, but the reason why I think you can succeed in that kind of thing is we had very capable 
laypeople that we work with. It's kind of apprentices through those positions. I know I did, and it 
was amazing how you were able to fill those positions professionally, you know. So I think that 
it's kind of a... I think people have more potential than they give themselves credit for. And I 
think community in that traditional way of assigning was really challenging an individual. 
 
Susan Lynn Ehlers  27:44 
Uh, okay, let's think about the-- could you perhaps give a little background about how the order 
got started? I mean, where, you know, where its headquarters are and that? 
 
Sister Rita Bergamini  28:09 
Yeah, the Sisters of Providence were founded in 1843, in Montreal, Canada, by Bishop Bourget 
and Mother Gamelin. Mother Gamelin, prior to the foundation of our Sisters was a married 
woman, wealthy, very in social circles in Montreal. Happily married. However, very shortly after 
she was married, she had two children, but her husband died, and then subsequently, the children 
died. She gave all her wealth and spent her time and activities in caring for the poor and social 
needs in Montreal at that time. And Bi-- she opened her home to the poor and the sick, and 
started taking care of them. Bishop Bourget, the bishop at that time, was very interested in the 
work that she was doing, but he wanted it sort of undergirded by a bona fide religious 
community. So he invited the Daughters of Charity from France, the ones with the big white 
caps. You see them in the pictures of Paris, or United States, in the fields, and the civil wars. But 
the last minute-- he had asked for six sisters, and at the last minute, they couldn't come. So he 
asked Mother Gamelin then, to...Yeah, and then he founded our community. That's why we call 
it Sisters of Providence, kind of a providential kind of beginning in terms of-- and so we've 
always maintained the spirit of the Sisters of Providence, in the sense that God will provide for 
those needs. Well, when this community was very young, one of the first postulates or candidates 
that came to enter was Mother Joseph.  
 
Susan Lynn Ehlers  29:59 
Mmh.  
 
Sister Rita Bergamini  29:59 
Page 13 of 13 
 
And her father brought her on December 26, the day after Christmas, in 1843. And said, I bring 
my daughter. She can cook, and she can sew, and she can use tools just like I can. Indeed, she'll 
make a very fine superior. Telling us [laughs]. 
 
Susan Lynn Ehlers  30:14 
Telling you right at the beginning! 
 
Sister Rita Bergamini  30:15 
Yeah, right. Have to get this thing straight. Here is my daughter, and she kept say-- Oh, Papa, 
you know-- [tape cuts off]. 
 