She had taken several business subjects in high school, so she did secretarial work for three years before entering St. Rose Convent in La Crosse on July 29, 1941. Two years later, with the restructuring of the congregation, she was elected Regional Leader of the FSPA Western Region (1985-1993) located in Spokane. Sister Evelyn Schlosser, Franciscan Sister of Perpetual Adoration, 88, died on October 7, 2022 at Villa St. Joseph in La Crosse, Wisconsin. Whether the need is for short- or long-term, our caring, trained personnel are here to help. She also participated in her parish choir. She also enjoyed sharing her professional expertise through service on numerous boards, including Viterbo Universitys Board of Trustees. With her health declining, Sister Clara Mae moved to Villa St. Joseph in 2015. Community members, family, colleagues and friends remember Sister Joan as a happy, joy-filled person, always ready for any invitation to explore something new. There she and her two brothers and three sisters grew up, helping with chores when they were not attending school at Sac County School. When asked what gave her life, she responded, Vitamin P (for prayer). Sister Bernadette Prochaska, FSPA, 88, died Wednesday morning, January 6, 2021 of pancreatic cancer at St. Rose Convent, La Crosse, Wisconsin. For family and friends unable to attend in-person funeral celebrations, FSPA offers live streaming. When her health began to deteriorate, she moved to South Hill Village in Spokane. She was in the sixty-eighth year of her religious profession. Her family hosted foreign exchange students from Iceland and Italy. Sister Karolyne began her ministry as a homemaker at various congregational homes and institutions, primarily in Wisconsin and Washington, before branching out into other areas. Viterbo College called her back in 1974, again as a bookkeeper. SISTER MARIA TESSARI, O.S.F. 1. Mary Jane, her sister, Monica, and two brothers, Myllin and Mark, grew up in Eau Claire. She loved life and the gifts God gave her during each phase of life. There was a problem volunteering for this cemetery. In 1978 she received on-the-job training as a dental assistant. She later went back to her baptismal name. During her time as Director of Development and Director of Planned Giving she would talk about working toward friend-raising, rather than fund-raising. There she met the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration (FSPA). The Franciscan Sisters of Mary care passionately for God's creation. Until 2010, Sister Rita Marie had neither taken a pill, no been hospitalized. She was always exploring the latest spiritual book or philosophy. She also attended the Theological Institute at St. Norberts College over the course of several summers. She was in the seventy-second year of her religious profession. From 1981 to 1984 she worked as a baker in West Glacier, Montana, then three years at a university in Lockport, Illinois. The day after her 21st birthday she was in a serious car accident. bottom of page Franciscan Missionary of Mary vocation and life is a gift from God: "Meeting the Lord gets us moving, urges us to leave aside self-absorption," (Evangelii Gaudium 265). Her father was a cook by trade but later worked as a dock loader. For 25 years Sister Pat taught music in elementary and secondary schools in Iowa (Carroll, West Point, Bellevue) and Wisconsin (La Crosse, Prairie du Chien, Durand, Jefferson, Ashland, Jefferson). Sister Lourdine Bielawski, 90, of the Bernardine Franciscan Sisters Third Order Regular of St. Francis, died Feb. 3 at St. Joseph Villa, Reading, where she had resided since 2012. Her work in Minneapolis was evidence of her compassionate and helpful nature. Sister Mary Klisart, OSF. At that time she retired to St. Rose Convent where her ministry was that of prayer and hospitality. She was in the 66th year of her religious profession. She was the second eldest in her family which included two brothers and four sisters. Creativity and Franciscanism went hand-in-hand for her. In 1950, Sister Anita was received into the novitiate and given the name, Sister Mary Kenneth. She went on to teach for eight years in Calmar, Iowa, and then in Wisconsin in Genoa, St. Marys Ridge and La Crosse (St. Michaels Orphanage) before earning a Bachelor of Arts in Occupational Therapy from St. Catherine University in St. Paul. Ever since she was small, Kathleen felt the desire to become a sister. Sister Ladonna Kassmeyer, FSPA, 84, died Monday night, August 3, 2020, of a massive heart attack at Mayo Clinic Health System-Franciscan Healthcare, La Crosse, Wisconsin. In 1994, she moved to Mobile, Alabama and ministered as a teachers aide and resource teacher for eight years before retiring to St. Rose Convent in 2002. After leaving the classroom in 1976, she was on staff at Northern Province House in Arbor Vitae, Wisconsin with responsibility for food service and maintenance. By the end of her freshman year, she responded to this call. by Franciscan Sisters of Our Lady of Perpetual Help | Sep 13, 2022 | Franciscan Sisters News, LCWR, Obituaries, Uncategorized Sister Rose Marie Przybylowicz, OSF, passed away September 9, 2022. She was worried about being the eldest in her class, but upon arrival Catherine learned that half of the class was older than she was. After graduating Ladycliff College with a BA in History, she earned a Masters Degree from Seton Hall University in Reading and an MS . She loved her years teaching. She lived simply, joyfully and with great love and care for everyone. Next, Sister Rita Marie taught at Holy Family School in Ashland, Wisconsin (1962-1966), then St. Henry School in Eau Galle, Wisconsin (1966-1969). Returning to her home in 1973 in Guttenberg to care for her father, Sister Clara Mae also ministered as an activities director and home care aid. She was also a great entertainer, knowing how to make her audience laugh. Her love of the Eucharist carried over to her dedication in taking Communion to shut-ins. The Bernardine Center Times Summer 2018. She and her older sisters walked to school and enjoyed the flowers and nature along the way. After suffering a mild stroke in 2014, she moved to St. Rose Convent. This gave Sister Evelyn time to think if God might be calling her. She was the ninth of 10 children in her family, all born on the family farm. From daycare for loved ones who suffer from dementia, to rehabilitation centers for recovery from surgery . Her elementary school years were spent at St. Marys School in Guttenberg. She taught primary grades in Wisconsin (Auburndale, Big River, Halder), Idaho (Blackfoot) and Iowa (Muscatine, Harper, Halbur, St. Lucas, Spencer, Bellevue, Mt. Carmel and West Bend) Washington (Spokane) and Wisconsin (Eau Galle and Halder) for 42 years. In August 2007, the Sisters of St. Francis in Millvale, Pennsylvania merged with the Syracuse-based congregation. On August 6, 1983 Sister Jean made her first profession of vows as a FSPA. She didnt enter religious life until after high school; ultimately, joining her aunt and cousin at St. Rose Convent in La Crosse. Sister Patricia was received into the novitiate in 1963 and given the name, Sister Mary Owen. Sister Betty taught high school chemistry and mathematics for 26 years in Wisconsin (Prairie du Chien and Stevens Point), Oregon (Salem), Iowa (Bellevue, Carroll, and West Point) and Texas (El Paso). She served for 67 years as a Franciscan Sister of Perpetual Adoration. Sister Jovita received all of her sacraments and elementary education at St Stanislaus Parish in St Louis. There she met the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration (FSPA) at St. Marys Grade School. Her mother worked as a stenographer. She was in the seventy-first year of her religious profession. FelicianSisters. Perhaps the most memorable is Sister Dorothy Anns loving care for those suffering with HIV/AIDS. After the high school in Lansing closed, she remained there as a religious education teacher for two more years. To the surprise of her family, she chose the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration in La Crosse, being drawn to the ministry of Perpetual Adoration. Martina Mary was born the fourth oldest of 13 children, seven sons and six daughters, to Henry and Helen (Julich) Stork on January 30, 1916 on a farm near Breda, Iowa. Helen was received into the novitiate on August 12, 1945, and was given the name Sister Ardette. For almost 40 years, Sister Bernadette played background music once a month for televised Masses in the Madison Diocese as part of their Apostolate to the Handicapped. She then became Vice-President of Student Development from 1997 to 2005. When Helen came to a decision, Sister Rosewyn spoke with Mother Engelberta and convinced her to allow Helen to enter St. Rose Convent in January instead of waiting until August. She received by Franciscan Sisters of Our Lady of Perpetual Help | Jan 18, 2018 | Franciscan Sisters News, Obituaries. It was a happy home filled with conversation and joyous laughter. She could usually be found volunteering some place at Villa St. Joseph helping other sisters. One evening as the family gathered on the porch, next to a very full rain barrel, her father teasingly picked her up and saying he was going to put her headfirst into the barrel. In 2010, due to her deteriorating health, she chose to move to St. Rose Convent and in 2014 made her home at Villa St. Joseph. From her mother, she learned the importance of family as well as the artistry and necessities of cooking, cleaning, sewing and gardening. Sister Helen Keating, Franciscan Sister of Perpetual Adoration, 93, died of cancer on May 14, 2020 at Villa St. Joseph, La Crosse, Wisconsin. During that time, her roommate responded to a call to religious life. After three years in that position she resigned, was married and began raising her five children: Marianne, George, Pat, Susan and Tom. The seeds of being a Sister and a teacher were planted in those early years. She served on numerous boards, including St. Marys Hospital (Mayo Clinic Health System-Franciscan Healthcare, Sparta, Wisconsin), St. Anthonys Foundation in Carroll, Iowa, St. Francis Hospital (Mayo Clinic Health System-Franciscan Healthcare, La Crosse) and Viterbo University in La Crosse. Sister Gertrude Daugherty, FSPA, 93, died on Sunday, August 8, 2021, at Villa St. Joseph, La Crosse, Wisconsin. In later years, her contributions to liturgy, both work-related and in the FSPA community, served as major contributions to a Vatican II Church. RUTH JASINSKI OBITUARY Sister Ruth Jasinski, 94, of the Bernardine Franciscan Sisters Third Order Regular of St Francis, died on Monday morning, August 23, 2021, at Reading Hospital-Tower. She attended Holy Family Grade School and DePadua High School. She later returned to her baptismal name. Lois Lorraine was born to Aubrey and Georgia (Carlisle) Lobdell on April 14, 1923, in Durand, Wisconsin. On a chilly October afternoon amid a backdrop of vibrant autumn leaves, several Missionary Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Conception stood in Mahwah, New Jersey's Maryrest Cemetery filled with emotion. Sister Francis Marie Vallone, 96, was Franciscan nun for 75 years 21 News Local Police & Courts Business Politics State & Regional History National World Multimedia COVID-19 News Tip. Family, friends and community members remember Sister Mary Myron as a woman of prayer. Sewing was one of her hidden talents. During this time, she began taking classes part-time at Aquinas Institute of Theology, St. Louis. After a year in support services in El Paso, Texas, she was called to serve as baker at St. Rose Convent. Her high school days were spent at Marycliff High School where she took clerical courses, so that she could get an office job right after graduation. She was in the 76th year of her religious profession. She attended St. Josephs Grade and High School in Bellevue. Marie never knew two of her brothers: Raymond died of jaundice shortly after birth and Vernon was kicked by a horse when he was seven. She received a Bachelor of Science in Education from Viterbo College (University) and a Master of Arts in Education: Instruction and Curriculum from St. John College, Cleveland, Ohio. Sister Rita entered the FSPA community in September 1952. Obituary Sr. Miriam Sitarz OSF Sister Miriam, 100, a sister for 84 years, died June 3, 2017 at Mary, Queen and Mother Center in St. Louis. Franciscan Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart in Gemona, Italy, sent three sisters to America. Gertrude was received into the novitiate on August 12, 1946 and was given the name Sister Barbara Jean. Her gift of music was shared in many ways instrumentally, vocally and even to the point of creating enjoyable parodies for special occasions. Sisters celebrating their 75th Jubilee were Sr. Mary Carolita Turzinski and Sr. Mary Lucia Skalka. She once commented that she thought she learned how to rip the same afternoon she learned how to sew. She had been a professed member of the Sisters of. Marie was received into the novitiate on August 12, 1943, and given the name Sister Rita Marie. She taught in Calmar, Mallard, St. Lucas and Balltown, Iowa and La Crosse from 1945 to 1962. She started out in the primary grades and quickly moved to middle and junior high, eventually serving as principal for seven years while at Holy Family School, Ashland and Sacred Heart School, Eau Claire. She was in the seventy-fifth year of her religious profession. She was the eldest of six children. Later she went back toher baptismal name, Karolyne. More. She made first profession of vows on August 12, 1944, and final profession on August 9, 1950. For almost 30 years she ministered in junior and senior high schools as a teacher and principal in Wisconsin, Washington, Guam and Montana. Sister Anita spent various periods of time in the West African country with the sisters, providing workshops, spiritual reflection, and just listening to their stories of history, fear and hope. Sister Karen Crawford . Sister Anita returned to California with her grandparents and stayed with them, beginning school there. Community members, family and friends remember Sister Evelyn as a lively, generous person. She was in the midst of writing a book on Pieces of the Parchment-Rubrics for Daily Living. During her time in Canton, Sister Dorothy Ann became a companion to Sister Thea Bowman, an FSPA who gained prominence as a teacher, musician and civil rights activist in the African American community. Felician Sisters of North America Home Page. After high school, she entered the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration in La Crosse. From 1984 to 1989 she ministered to the elderly in Las Vegas and was instrumental in developing Pastoral Care Outreach at Sunrise Hospital. Franciscan Sisters of Allegany, submitted the following from "the earliest materials in our archives." "During the early 1860s, Father Pamfilo had taken under his care four Sisters in the Congregation of the Holy Cross at St. Mary (Notre Dame), Indiana. Every congregational visit became an opportunity to learn about her Sisters and the area in which they ministered. Gertrude left home on Sept. 3, 1945 for St. Rose Convent in La Crosse, Wisconsin. Her personality radiated compassion. Remembering Sr. Mary Elizabeth Glueckstein Wheaton Franciscans October 3, 2022 A congregation of Franciscan women religious serving in the United States,. She professed her first vows as an FSPA on August 12, 1965. St. Francis and St. Clare saw the good and holy possibility in the culture of everyday life. After a years sabbatical at Prairiewoods Franciscan Spirituality Center in Hiawatha, Iowa, Sister Karolyne stayed on as gardener and helped in the kitchen until 2005. By her junior year, she had decided to enter religious life. Sister Agnes served her community as a homemaker in convent homes in Iowa, Mississippi, Washington and Wisconsin for thirty years. She then moved to Boise, Idaho where she did bookkeeping for a construction company. Florence was received into the novitiate on August 12, 1944 and was given the name Sister Cecilienne. While with FSPA, Sister Sandra ministered to the elderly in St. Paul for a couple years before moving to La Crosse, where she became the Justice and Peace Director for the FSPA. She moved to Rochester, Minnesota and began taking classes as a human service technician at Rochester Area Technical Institute. Her first profession of vows was made on August 12, 1955. Sandy loved being a nurse in Africa. Sister Karolyne continued to faithfully serve in a variety of ministry assignments that defined her loving commitment to religious life. For several summers, Sister Bernadette served as lecturer at the University of Hawaii, Honolulu and Cardinal Stritch College (University) in Milwaukee. From 1993 to 1997, Sister Jean served as the Dean of the School of Letters and Sciences at Viterbo. In Iowa she taught at St. Lawrence School and Kuemper High School, Carroll, as well as in Breda, West Point and Spencer. You will no longer be notified of photo requests for this cemetery. When Sister Clara Mae entered the novitiate of the FSPA she was given the name Bernadine. From our life in community we are sent to extend the mission of Jesus through our presence and service. Shethen served as director of religious education at Sacred Heart Religious Education Center in Palos Hills, Illinoisfor four years. After a years sabbatical in 1998 at the Tau Center in Winona, Sister Michon moved to St. Rose Convent where she served as assistant administrator for the sisters. She was in the sixty-eighth year of her religious profession. After a one-year stint in the St. Rose Convent cafeteria, Sister Rita Marie moved to Villa St. Joseph where she assisted in many community service roles, such as receptionist, sacristan and organist. Every place she taught she loved her little children, especially teaching them to read. Celebrate With Us! Her keen mind could question and analyze any situation. Her mission life there shaped her concept of community and service. Saint of the Day. 9 Sep 1876 - 28 Mar 1944. Community members, family and friends remember Sister Clara Mae as always having a smile for everyone. She ministered at Sacred Heart School in Spencer, Iowa from 1973 to 1997 as music teacher and organist for the parish. In her first year in community, she was Co-Director for the La Crosse Diocese Hispanic Ministry. Praying to Mary helped her make the decision about religious life. While at Marquette, sheplayed the organ at Gesu Parish and after retiring from teaching English, she ministered as receptionist at the parish until she moved to St. Rose Convent in December of 2016. Sister Gertrude made first profession of vows on August 12, 1948 and final vows on August 9, 1954. She was always ready to enter into conversation and had great stories to share. She loved biking and walking anything to be out in Gods creation. For a year she was a home health nurse in Claxton, Georgia. This was probably the first time that any thought of a religious vocation entered her mind. She truly was a friend-raiser. Community members, family, colleagues and friends remember Sister Pat as an excellent music teacher. Growing up on the farm gave her a deep appreciation of nature, which stayed with her throughout her life. Sister Valerie Lemansky, age 90, a member of the Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity, passed away on Tuesday, January 31, 2023, at Holy Family Convent, Manitowoc. Her first two years of grade school were at St. Jude the Apostle School in Wauwatosa. She was in the 73rd year of her religious profession. She served as a religious educator in Marion, Iowa for three years and as a religious education coordinator in St. Pius Parish in Cedar Rapids for three more years. With a sense of humility and pride, she enjoyed many years of service to families through the Salvation Army. Numerous university students credit her for their search into the world of spirituality. She attended St. Joseph elementary and high school in Earling. Breakfast and lunch will be served. After Vatican II, Sister Frances felt the call to change her ministry. Sister Pat was known for the rapport she had with students and the quality of performance she was able to elicit from them. Her family ties grew deep and strong and continued through the years with Hageman family reunions almost every other year. In 1977, she received a Fulbright scholarship to India, an adventure, she said, that enhanced my Asian Studies classes. After a years internship in the Student Development Department at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Sister Michon was appointed Dean of Students at Viterbo College. Sister Lydia then served as Pastoral Care Minister at St. Annes Parish, also in Las Vegas, until she retired to St. Rose Convent in 2001. She was an excellent teacher, a compassionate pastoral by Franciscan Sisters of Our Lady of Perpetual Help | Jun 5, 2017 | Franciscan Sisters News, Obituaries. She was in her fifty-second year of religious profession. Daniel Piasecki, OFM, 82, a member of Sacred Heart Province, died on Jan. 14 in Manitowoc, Wisconsin. The person we lost is Sister Annette Fessler, who died on Oct. 29 at the age of 95. Sister Patricia Keating, Franciscan Sister of Perpetual Adoration, 91, died of natural causes on July 24, 2020 at Villa St. Joseph, La Crosse, Wisconsin. Carmel, Sister Rita began thinking about ministering in a different environment. Sister Clara Mae gifted family and friends with beautiful wood carvings. Their honeymoon was to travel west to bring Sister Anita back home and reunite the family. Her dedicated impact on the growth of the Franciscan Spirituality Center is still felt today, especially given the training of several hundred spiritual directors due to the Spiritual Direction Preparation Program which began under her leadership. Sister Clara Mae had asked her parents about going to the convent when she was a freshman, but they suggested she complete high school first. Early in life, she had the desire to become a Franciscan Sister of Perpetual Adoration like her older sister, Sister Leone. It is here that her spirit was touched by the Franciscan by Franciscan Sisters of Our Lady of Perpetual Help | Aug 30, 2018 | Franciscan Sisters News, Obituaries. Our dear Sister Loraine went to her rest in the arms of our loving God on August 19. Being one with all people was not just an idea for Sandy; it was the reality she sought. Upon retiring, Sister Ladonna continued to share her gifts as a volunteer treasurer for various organizations locally and nationally, including the Washburn Neighborhood Association, La Crosse City Vision Foundation and the Archivists for Congregations of Women Religious. She entered St. Rose Convent in 1945 and was given the name Sister Elreda at her 1948 reception into the novitiate. Hope Restores, an FSPA Seeding a Legacy of Healing grant recipient and La Crosse-based . Jeanette Mary Margaret Kassmeyer was born in Fort Madison, Iowa, to Frank and Leona (Krittenbrink) Kassmeyer on March 11, 1936, the oldest of eight children. Obituary Sr. Gerarda Augustyniak Sister Gerarda Augustyniak, 95, a sister for 78 years, died December 29, 2016 at Mary, Queen and Mother Center in St. Louis. Following her formation program, she began teaching in parish schools in Wisconsin . Sister Jeans most recent ministry was that of freelance writer and presenter. She joined FSPA in 1950 and was given the name, Sister Joene, but later went back to her baptismal name. From 2016 to 2019, Sister Jean was back at Viterbo University teaching classes in Franciscan Traditions and Values. Born on July 1, 1943 in Batesville, she was the second of five children born to Ethel (Nee: Schumacher) and Francis Werner. She enjoyed the Bright Star theatre and La Crosse Symphony performances at Viterbo University. She was in the68thyear of her religious profession. She made her first profession of vows on August 12, 1961. In 2003 Sister Rosile retired and volunteered at Clare Center in Spokane. She was in the sixty-first year of her religious profession. After profession of vows, Sister Clara Mae worked in dietary services for one year in Sparta, Wisconsin. Her father thought nothing could be more perfect; he had an aunt, a sister and a niece in the convent, and now hed have a daughter there also. In her spare time she became very involved in woodcarving, a hobby she took with her to St. Rose Convent in 2008 when she retired there. Sister Pats love for music and keen musical ability served as the basis for much of Sister Pats ministry. It is grounded in the sacredness of all life . Before them was a newly-unveiled 7-foot bronze statue of Sister Mary Virgilius Reidy, one of their own. Born in St. Louis, Missouri in 1950, she entered the Franciscan Sisters of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in 1968 and by Franciscan Sisters of Our Lady of Perpetual Help | Dec 31, 2016 | Franciscan Sisters News, Obituaries. In 1953 she was received into the FSPA novitiate and given the name Sister Geralyn. Her mother called her Betty because she did not want her to be called Lizzie or Liz. During that time, she completed a Master of Arts in Music Education from DePaul University, Chicago. A second church, that could hold 500, was built in 1930. Sister Cecilienne taught music in numerous elementary and secondary schools in Wisconsin at Blessed Sacrament School and Aquinas High School, La Crosse and elsewhere in Marathon and Ashland. Sister Kathy, as she was lovingly called, was small in stature but large in spirit and generosity. Active nonviolence is a creative power for good available to everyone. Sister Sandra was born to Carroll and June (Nicholson) DeMann on October 12, 1947 in Grand Rapids, Michigan, the eldest of four children. She enjoyed helping raise funds for their science lab update and the school gymnasium addition. The Sisters of Saint Francis of Rochester, Minnesota, a Roman Catholic congregation for women religious, was founded in 1877 by Mother Mary Alfred Moes. After earning a graduate degree in communications and journalism from the University of Iowa, Iowa City, Sister Patricia served as Central Region secretary for six years in Hiawatha, Iowa. She ministered at St. Anthonys Hospital, Carroll, Iowa, Sacred Heart Hospital, Idaho Falls, Idaho, and was Medical and Surgical Instructor at St. Francis Hospital School of Nursing, La Crosse. She ministered there until 2021 when she moved to St. Rose Convent in La Crosse. As soon as their dad came home from work, the question was put to him. She was eager to go to school with her sisters. 2020 by Franciscan Sisters of Allegany. Its great to be Irish, she would proudly proclaim. She was in the 69th year of her religious profession. Because of her keen eye, one could also count on Sister Patricia to know the latest on political issuesand to encourage prayer and political action. She never missed an opportunity to share the good things in life with others. After 13 years as a classroom teacher, Sister Patricia took courses at the Center for Pastoral Ministry in Kansas City and then moved into parish ministry in Davenport, Iowa, Tulsa, Oklahoma and Kansas City, Missouri. From1953 to 1954, she served as cashier at Sacred Heart Hospital, Idaho Falls, Idaho, and from 1954 to 1958 at St. Francis Hospital (MCHS-FH), La Crosse. One of her girlfriends brought up the subject of convent life. The Tau Center in Winona, Minnesota recruited her as their baker in 1997, a position she held for the next two years. Born in Bellevue, Iowa on Nov. 7, 1927, Gertrude Florence was the daughter of Cornelius Vincent and Teresa Mary (Keuter) Daugherty. With a twinkle in her eye, she was always involved in any mischief that took place. At the completion of her term she moved to Sun City, Arizona, where she served as parish administrator of St. John Vianney Parish. Her gentleness and sense of humor endeared her to her patients, family, sisters and many friends. She grew up on the family farm with her two brothers and three sisters, getting into to use her words all the mischief we could imagine..