Obituaries / Obituarios

Download Sister Jean's obituary as a PDF.  
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Sister Jean's services will be livestreamed at this link:
https://nazarethcourtandcenter.online.church/

Download the prayer service booklet as a PDF.
Download the booklet for the Mass of Christian Burial as a PDF.

Sister Jean's services were held on Thursday, August 31, 2023. The video will be available until February 29, 2024.

Give a donation in honor of Sister Jean Steffes

Sister Jean Steffes, CSA, formerly Sister Louisa, died peacefully August 22, 2023, at Nazareth Center in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, after a courageous battle with cancer.

Jean Rose was born in Ada, Oklahoma, on November 14, 1943, the daughter of Louis Anthony Steffes and Vincentia Brenner Steffes.  Jean’s father, a cheesemaker working for Cudahy West Cheese Company, followed his company to different sites necessitating moves for his young family to Missouri, Oklahoma, and Nebraska. After serving in World War II, Louis moved his family to Dotyville, Wisconsin, where he became manager of a small cheese plant. He was about to be promoted and transferred to a plant in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, when he became ill and died of polio in 1949, leaving behind his wife and four young children. After Louis’s death, the family lived for one year with Vincentia’s mother on her farm in Mt. Calvary, Wisconsin. Jean attended first grade at Holy Cross School in Mt. Calvary. In the summer of 1950, Vincentia purchased a home in Fond du Lac for her family. Jean completed elementary education at St. Joseph Grade School in Fond du Lac and high school at St. Mary’s Springs Academy, Fond du Lac, graduating in 1961.  Jean then enrolled at Marian College majoring first in biology, but later transferring her major to English. While at Marian and engaged to be married, she was drawn to the life of her teachers, the Sisters of St. Agnes. Choosing to pursue a call to religious life, she broke off her engagement and entered St. Agnes Convent on September 8, 1964.  She made her first profession of vows in the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes as Sister Louisa on August 15, 1967, in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

Sister Jean’s educational pursuits included earning a BA in English from Marian College, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, in 1965; an MA in English in 1974 and an MA in Human Services and Counseling in 1981 from DePaul University, Chicago, Illinois; and an MA in Theology in 1997 from the University of San Francisco—Phoenix Campus.

Devoted to her CSA sisters and the mission of the congregation, Sister Jean was a gifted educator and beloved leader in her CSA congregation and for the Catholic Diocese of Phoenix, Arizona.

Sister Jean began her years in ministry as an English teacher at St. Mary’s Springs High School (1967-1969).  From 1969-1977, she taught English and religion at Immaculate Conception High School, Elmhurst, Illinois. She returned to St. Mary’s Springs (1977-1982) teaching English, working in the counseling department, and simultaneously serving as the novice director for the Sisters of St. Agnes. Her service to CSA as novice director (1977-1982) was the beginning of 25 years of courageous and visionary service in CSA leadership roles: novice director, regional coordinator for sisters living and ministering in New York, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana and Tennessee (1982-1985), and seventeen years as general superior for the congregation (1985–1993; 2013–2022).

In 1993, having completed two terms as general superior of CSA, Sister Jean began working for the Diocese of Phoenix. She served as Director of the Office for Religious and Director of the Office for the Propagation of the Faith. In 2004, she was appointed Chancellor of the Diocese, an administrative and supervisory role that included problem solving and decision making in collaboration with the bishop on behalf of the diocese.

She also served as a spiritual advisor and facilitator for local religious communities in the area. The diocesan staff deeply missed her when she was elected to a third term as CSA’s general superior in 2013; however, they recognized the wisdom, keen ability for detail, and spirit of hospitality which Sister Jean would bring to her congregation in accepting the leadership role once again.

After completing her fourth term as CSA general superior in August 2022, a term extended an additional year during the COVID-19 pandemic, Sister Jean was looking forward to life after the responsibilities of congregational leadership. Those hopes were dashed when she was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer soon after her last term was completed.  Sister Jean faced the diagnosis and treatment with the same courage, faith, and determination that exemplified her entire life.

On July 6, 2023, Sister Jean moved from her home in Fond du Lac to Nazareth Center where she received loving care until the time of her death.

Preceding Sister Jean in death were her parents and her brother, John L. Steffes.

Sister Jean is survived by her sisters Mary (Giovanni) Cappellari, Carol (Thomas) Freund; her sister-in-law Nancy Steffes; nieces, nephews and their families, and the Sisters of St. Agnes, with whom she lived, prayed, and ministered.

Visitation will take place Thursday, August 31, from 9:00-11:00 a.m. at Nazareth Court and Center, 375 Gillett Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

A Prayer Service will be held at 11:00 a.m. in the Nazareth Court Community Room. Visitation will continue after the Prayer Service until 1:30 p.m.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered for Sister Jean at 2:00 p.m. on August 31 at St. Francis Home Chapel, 33 Everett Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, with Father Carl Diederichs presiding. Burial will follow at St. Joseph Springs Cemetery, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

Memorials may be directed to the CSA Mission Advancement Office, 320 County Road K, Fond du Lac, WI 54937.

The Sisters of St. Agnes and Sister Jean’s family are grateful to the nurses and staff of Nazareth Court and Center and Hospice Hope for their care of Sister Jean.

Zacherl Funeral Home is serving the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes.

Download Sister Josephine's obituary as a PDF.  
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Sister Josephine's services were held on Monday, August 28, 2023. The video will be available until November 28, 2024.

Download the prayer service booklet as a PDF.
Download the booklet for the Mass of Christian Burial as a PDF.

Give a donation in honor of Sister Josephine Braun

Sister Josephine Braun, CSA, baptized Patricia Jean, died peacefully August 20, 2023, at Nazareth Court, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

Patricia was born February 16, 1940, in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, the second of seven daughters of Albert Robert Braun and Marie Walburga Curry Braun. Her father, a lifetime employee of the Kohler Company, moved his family from Sheboygan to Kohler, Wisconsin, when Patricia was three years old. She grew up in Kohler with her six sisters, graduating from Kohler Public High School in 1958.  From the time she was a child, Patricia wanted to be a nurse.  After high school graduation, she enrolled in St. Agnes School of Nursing in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. It was there that she met the Sisters of St. Agnes who stirred in her a call to religious life. After one year of nursing school, Patricia entered St. Agnes Convent in September of 1959. She made her first profession of vows in the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes as Sister Josephine on August 15, 1962, in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

After her religious profession, Sister Josephine returned to St. Agnes School of Nursing and completed her studies to become a registered nurse in 1964.  She then began working at St. Agnes Hospital, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, on the medical-surgical unit while attending Marian College, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, to earn her BS in nursing.  She proudly earned this degree in 1965. From that time on she spent her life in healthcare, serving as a staff nurse at St. Agnes Hospital (1964-1965) and St. Anthony Hospital in Hays, Kansas (1965-1969).

In 1969, Sister Josephine returned to Fond du Lac to become a nursing instructor for the School of Nursing at Marian College. She enhanced her skills for nursing instruction by earning her MSN in rehabilitation nursing in 1971 from Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts.  Sister served in the Marian College nursing program as a classroom teacher and clinical instructor with a focus on medical-surgical nursing for twenty years, 1969-1989. She enjoyed interacting with her students as they became more confident in themselves and their nursing skills. She continually encouraged her students to focus on the wholistic health of their patients—body, mind and spirit.

In 1989, Sister Josephine’s ministry in healthcare took another turn when she left Marian College and participated in a year-long sabbatical program deepening her own personal spirituality and awakening in her a desire to help others integrate spirituality and healing. She chose to blend her love for medical and spiritual care by becoming a certified massage therapist in 1991 through the Reilly School of Massage Therapy, Virginia Beach, Virginia.  Sister Josephine then opened her massage business, Healing Touch, in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. She continued her massage ministry for thirty years offering her clients a sense of peace and wholeness through her gentle, prayerful presence, and skillful healing touch. Many testified that their time with her was a holy hour of anointing.

Sister Josephine retired from active ministry in 2021 when she was no longer able to serve her clients due to the COVID-19 pandemic and her physical health was declining.  In May of 2022, Sister joined the community of CSA sisters at Nazareth Court and Center. There, courageously facing her terminal illness, she received loving care until the time of her death with the same graciousness and peaceful spirit that she had offered to so many others.  

Sister Josephine was preceded in death by her parents and her sisters Noreen Francis Braun and Kathleen Ann Schieble.

She is survived by her sisters Sharon (Clyde) Kometer, Shiela Therese Braun, Maureen Claire Sanner, Sister Colleen Braun, CSA; her nieces, nephews and their families, and the Sisters of St. Agnes with whom she lived, prayed, and ministered.

Cremation has taken place. Visitation will be held on Monday, August 28, 2023, from 9:00-11:00 a.m. at Nazareth Court and Center, 375 Gillett Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

A Prayer Service will be offered at 11:00 a.m. in Nazareth Center Chapel. Visitation will continue following the Prayer Service until 1:30 p.m.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered for Sister Josephine at 2:00 p.m. on Monday, August 28, 2023, at St. Francis Home Chapel, 33 Everett Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, with Father Tom Zelinski presiding. Burial will follow at St. Joseph Springs Cemetery, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

Memorials may be directed to the CSA Mission Advancement Office, 320 County Road K, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin 54937. The Sisters of St. Agnes and Sister Josephine’s family are grateful to the nurses and staff of St. Francis Home, Nazareth Court and Center, and Hospice Hope for their care of Sister Josephine.

Zacherl Funeral Home is serving the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes.

Give a donation in honor of Sister Jane Remondino

Download Sister Jane's obituary as a PDF.  
Descarga la obituario en español

Download the prayer service booklet as a PDF.  
Download the booklet for the Liturgy of Christian Burial as a PDF.  

Sister Jane Remondino, CSA, formerly known as Sister Mary Charles, died peacefully April 2, 2023, at St. Francis Home, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

Jane Alice was born August 16, 1931, in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, the daughter of Eugene John Remondino and Evelyn Daly Burke Remondino. Jane, with her two sisters and two brothers, grew up in Wauwatosa. She attended Holy Angels Academy in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. In 1948 she entered St. Agnes Convent, earning her high school diploma through St. Agnes High School. She made her first profession of vows in the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes as Sister Mary Charles on August 15, 1951, in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, years later choosing to resume her baptismal name.

After a year of classes at Marian College, Sister Jane embarked on a life of service to her sisters. She was the homemaker for several large CSA communities: Sacred Heart Convent in Yonkers, New York; St. Mary’s Springs Academy in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin; Immaculate Conception Convent in Elmhurst, Illinois; St. Nicholas Convent in Evanston, Illinois; St. Mary’s Convent in Decatur, Indiana; Regina Hall at Marian College and St. Agnes Convent, both in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. From 1979 to 1984, Sister Jane served Immaculate Conception Parish in Elmhurst, Illinois, as an assistant to the Director of Religious Education. Returning to Fond du Lac, she lived and served at St. Agnes Convent in various roles: driving sisters to doctor’s appointments and to family visits in their hometowns, a task allowing Sister Jane to see many parts of the country; managing printing needs of the congregation’s administrative offices; and overseeing the mailroom. She also enjoyed creating countless cards for every season and occasion for the sisters’ use, developing her computer skills, and researching her family genealogy.

All Sister Jane’s efforts in service were to make life better and easier for her sisters and others. She delighted in creating delicious and beautifully presented meals, in keeping living spaces clean and laundry spotless, in organizing her printing and mailroom space for efficiency. Always wanting to do things well, Sister Jane could be her own worst critic. In later years, her increasing hearing loss made communication difficult with the sisters she had served so long and well. 

In August of 2016, Sister Jane retired to Nazareth Court and Center in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, where she continued to serve with her card-making until her health declined and she became too frail. She entered hospice care in August 2021 and was admitted to St. Francis Home on January 30, 2023, receiving loving care until her death.

Sister Jane was preceded in death by her parents Eugene and Evelyn Remondino, her brothers Charles Eugene Remondino and Thomas Burke Remondino, and her sisters Nancy Agnes Remondino and Mary Evelyn Scott.

She is survived by her nieces, Jane Vasquez and Margaret Scott, and the Sisters of St. Agnes with whom she lived, prayed, and ministered.

Cremation has taken place. Visitation will be held on Monday, April 24, 2023, from 9:00 a.m.– 11:00 a.m. at Nazareth Court and Center, 375 Gillett Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

A Prayer Service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on April 24, 2023, in Nazareth Center Chapel. Visitation will continue following the Prayer Service until 1:30 p.m.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered for Sister Jane at 2:00 p.m. on Monday, April 24, 2023, at St. Francis Home Chapel, 33 Everett Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, with Father Randy Knauf, OFM Cap., presiding. Burial will follow at St. Joseph Springs Cemetery, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

Memorials may be directed to the CSA Mission Advancement Office, 320 County Road K, Fond du Lac, WI 54937.

The Sisters of St. Agnes are grateful to the nurses and staff of Nazareth Court and Center, St. Francis Home, and Hospice Hope for their care of Sister Jane.

Zacherl Funeral Home is serving the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes.

Give a donation in honor of Sister Janet Ahler

Download Sister Janet's obituary as a PDF.  
Descarga la obituario en español

Download the prayer service booklet as a PDF.  
Download the booklet for the Mass of Christian Burial as a PDF.  

Sister Janet Ahler, CSA, formerly known as Sister Jean Vianney, died peacefully March 31, 2023, at Nazareth Center, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

On October 30, 1932, in Burlington, Wisconsin, Janet Rose was the first of five daughters born to Anthony Ahler and Evelyn Kornhoff Ahler who ran a dairy farm. Only nine years apart, the girls were good friends throughout their lives. Janet attended St. Joseph’s Catholic Grade School in Lyons, Wisconsin, and Immaculate Conception High School in Burlington, Wisconsin. In high school Janet felt a call to nursing and to religious life. Through her parish priest, brother of a Sister of St. Agnes, Janet met CSA. After graduation she entered St. Agnes Convent in 1950, making her first profession of vows in the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes as Sister Jean Vianney on August 15, 1953, in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

Sister Jean Vianney earned a nursing diploma from St. Agnes School of Nursing and a BSN from Marian College, both in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin; and a Master of Nursing Education from St. Louis University in St. Louis, Missouri. Years later having returned to her baptismal name, Sister Janet took several Healing Touch training sessions in various Wisconsin locations, receiving certification in Darien, Illinois, in 2005.

Sister Janet ministered as a nurse and nurse instructor in hospitals in Kansas and Wisconsin, as a missionary to Ecuador, and as a nurse educator at Marian College of Fond du Lac from 1967-80 and 1982-86. During that time (1976-82), Sister Janet was appointed Apostolic Councilor for Sisters of St. Agnes in nursing and related ministries. In 1986, inspired by the work of Jean Vanier establishing houses for persons with mental and physical disabilities and their caregivers, Sister Janet dedicated her healing care to the L’Arche community in Mobile, Alabama. In 1998 she returned to Fond du Lac to be Local Coordinator and then Wellness Coordinator at Nazareth Court and Center, the congregation’s retirement home. Sister Janet returned in 2007 to L’Arche until she retired to the St. Agnes Motherhouse in 2015.

In all her ministries, Sister Janet was deeply imbued with the congregation’s commitment to those whose faith life or human dignity is threatened. She strove to bring not only physical, but also spiritual and mental, wellness to all she encountered. She truly cared for others. For years, Sister Janet advocated against the death penalty and wrote letters to death-row inmates. She brought a bright smile, healing touch and a comforting presence to the sick, the anxious, the dying.

On February 14, 2023, Sister Janet was admitted to Nazareth Center in Fond du Lac, with a diagnosis of terminal cancer. There, until her death, she received the loving care she had so often given to others.

Sister Janet was preceded in death by her parents Anthony and Evelyn and her brothers-in-law: Clifford Clapp, John Koenen, Vincent Getka, and Alfons Broz.

She is survived by her sisters: Joyce Clapp, Julie Koenen, Jean Getka, Jackie Broz; several nieces and nephews and their families; and the Sisters of St. Agnes with whom she lived, prayed and ministered.

Cremation has taken place. Visitation will be held on Tuesday, April 18, 2023, from 9:00 – 11:00 a.m. at Nazareth Court and Center, 375 Gillett Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

A Prayer Service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on April 18, 2023, in Nazareth Center Chapel. Visitation will continue following the Prayer Service until 1:30 p.m.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered for Sister Janet at 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, April 18, 2023, at St. Francis Home Chapel, 33 Everett Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, with Father Carl Diederichs presiding. Burial will follow at St. Joseph Springs Cemetery, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

Memorials may be directed to the CSA Mission Advancement Office, 320 County Road K, Fond du Lac, WI 54937.

The Sisters of St. Agnes are grateful to the nurses and staff of Nazareth Court and Center and Hospice Hope for their care of Sister Janet.

Zacherl Funeral Home is serving the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes.

Download Sister Mercedes' obituary as a PDF.  
Descarga la obituario en español

Download the prayer service booklet as a PDF.
Download the booklet for the Mass of Christian Burial as a PDF.

Give a donation in honor of Sister Mercedes Geib

Sister Mercedes Geib, CSA, baptized Lois Catherine, died peacefully March 13, 2023, at St. Francis Home, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

Lois was born March 25, 1922, in Barton, Wisconsin, the daughter of Peter Geib and Mathilda Meyer Geib. She was always proud to say that she grew up with her brother and three sisters in Barton, one block from the original motherhouse of the Sisters of St. Agnes established by Father Caspar Rehrl.  After attending St. Mary’s Springs Academy for two years, Lois entered St. Agnes Convent in 1938 where she completed her high school education. She made her first profession of vows in the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes as Sister Mercedes on August 15, 1941, in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

Sister Mercedes was a gifted educator, musician, organist, liturgist, and pastoral minister. She earned several credits in music from Alverno College, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and St. Norbert College, DePere, Wisconsin. She received certification as a Choirmaster from St. John’s University, Collegeville, Minnesota, in 1951. In 1957, she earned a BS in Education from Marian College, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, and an MST in Teaching from the University of Wisconsin, Oshkosh, Wisconsin, in 1974.  Her musical and educational skills were enhanced by attending courses in theology and certification programs in religious education.

Sister ministered as an elementary teacher, music teacher, and principal in parish schools in Wisconsin and Indiana from 1941-1975. Beginning in 1975, she served as a Religious Education Coordinator in parishes in Wisconsin and Kansas.  From 1984-1989, she was the music minister and parish minister at St. Mary’s Parish, Ellis, Kansas. She returned to Fond du Lac in 1989 to be the liturgist and organist at St. Agnes Convent. In 1993, Sister Mercedes moved to Ohio where she spent the remaining twenty years of her active ministry beginning with four years in Cincinnati as a Pastoral Minister at Good Samaritan Hospital and Our Lady of Victory Parish and sixteen years in Circleville, Ohio, where she was a companion to one of her CSA sisters ministering in that area. While in Circleville, she was a member of St. Joseph’s Parish and very active in the Ministry of Neighboring.  She could be found volunteering in the hospital, playing piano and organ at nursing homes and senior care residences, and serving as a substitute organist for the parish. She was well known and loved for her smile, her caring, and her wholehearted hospitality.

In June 2013, Sister Mercedes joined the community of sisters at Nazareth Court and Center in Fond du Lac, sharing her love for music and her compassionate presence with her sisters in the retirement center. Frail health necessitated her move to St. Francis Home in August of 2020.  There she received loving care until the time of her death.

Sister Mercedes was preceded in death by her parents Peter and Mathilda; her brother Sarto; her sisters Orlinda Schacht, Loretta Kirchner, and Dolores Sauter.

She is survived by several nieces and nephews and their families and the Sisters of St. Agnes with whom she lived, prayed, and ministered.

Visitation will be held on Tuesday, March 21, 2023, from 8:30 - 9:45 a.m. at Nazareth Center Chapel, 375 Gillett Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. 

A Prayer Service will be held at 9:45 a.m. on March 21, 2023, in Nazareth Center Chapel. Visitation will continue following the Prayer Service until 10:45 a.m.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered for Sister Mercedes at 11:00 on Tuesday, March 21, 2023, at St. Francis Home Chapel, 33 Everett Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, with Father Randy Knauf, OFM Cap., presiding. Burial will follow at St. Joseph Springs Cemetery, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

Memorials may be directed to the CSA Mission Advancement Office, 320 County Road K, Fond du Lac, WI 54937.

The Sisters of St. Agnes are grateful to the nurses and staff of Nazareth Court and Center, St. Francis Home, and Hospice Hope for their devoted care of Sister Mercedes.

Zacherl Funeral Home is serving the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes.

Download Sister Grace Ann's obituary as a PDF.  
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Give a donation in honor of Sister Grace Ann Feldbruegge

Sister Grace Ann Feldbruegge, CSA, baptized Joanne, died peacefully February 18, 2023, at St. Francis Home, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

Joanne was born February 27, 1942, in Waunakee, Wisconsin, the youngest of seven children of Herman B. Feldbruegge and Grace M. Olson Feldbruegge. Joanne attended St. John’s Elementary School in Waunakee, staffed by the Sisters of St. Agnes. After graduation from Waunakee Public High School in 1960, she chose to enter St. Agnes Convent. She made her first profession of vows in the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes as Sister Grace Ann on August 15, 1963, in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

Over her years in ministry, Sister Grace Ann earned a BS in Elementary Education in 1964 from Marian College, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, an MS in Education with a concentration in reading from St. Francis College, Ft. Wayne, Indiana, in 1974, and a Masters in Ministry in 1984 from Seattle University, Seattle, Washington. Her commitment to the mission of the Sisters of St. Agnes and her professional studies enabled her to serve in a variety of roles as a teacher, a caseworker, a chaplain and, in her later years, as a CSA finance office clerk.

Sister Grace Ann taught for nineteen years (1964-1983) in elementary schools in Kansas, Indiana, Michigan, New York, and Wisconsin. In 1983, Sister moved to Mobile, Alabama, where she served as a caseworker at the Service Center of Catholic Services in Mobile for five years, (1983-1987) offering advocacy and assistance to many disadvantaged individuals and families. In 1987, she returned to the classroom, teaching for five years at St. Pius X School in Mobile. She then accepted the position of chaplain at Providence Hospital in Mobile providing pastoral care and presence for seven years (1992-1999). While serving in these various roles, Sister Grace Ann also enjoyed the community life experiences she shared with other CSA sisters living and ministering in the Mobile area.

Following a time of sabbatical, Sister Grace Ann returned to Fond du Lac in 2002, living at the CSA Motherhouse and serving as a clerk in the congregation’s finance office. Sister joined the community of sisters living at Nazareth Court and Center in January 2013, again offering assistance with financial matters. With her health becoming more frail, Sister Grace Ann moved to St. Francis Home in 2016. She remained interested in and involved in CSA community life and activities as much as she was able until close to the time of her death.

Sister Grace Ann was preceded in death by her parents, Herman and Grace; her stepmother, Evie; her brothers, Gerald, Dennis, Duane, and Robert; her sisters, Betty (Kenneth) Sallee and Sarah Krenzien; her stepbrother, Alan Seymour.

Sister is survived by her sister-in-law, Carol Feldbruegge; her two stepsisters, Elizabeth Seymour and Susan(Chuck) Swanson; her stepsister-in-law, Diane Seymour; several nieces and nephews and their families; her beloved cousin, Susan Rank, and the Sisters of St. Agnes, with whom she lived, prayed, and ministered.

Cremation has taken place. Visitation will be held on Tuesday, February 28, 2023, from 9:00 – 11:00 a.m., and 12:00 – 1:30 p.m., at Nazareth Court and Center, 375 Gillett Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

A Prayer Service will be held at 11:00 a.m., on February 28, 2023, in Nazareth Center Chapel. Please check in for the Visitation and Prayer Service at the 375 Gillett Street entrance only.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered for Sister Grace Ann at 2:00 p.m., on Tuesday, February 28, 2023, at St. Francis Home Chapel, 33 Everett Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, with Father James Leary, OFM Cap., presiding. Burial will be at St. Joseph Springs Cemetery, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, at a later date.

Memorials may be directed to the CSA Mission Advancement Office, 320 County Road K, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin 54937.

The Sisters of St. Agnes are grateful to the nurses and staff of Nazareth Court and Center, St. Francis Home, and Hospice Hope for their loving care of Sister Grace Ann.

Zacherl Funeral Home is serving the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes.

Download Sister Rita' obituary as a PDF.  
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Give a donation in honor of Sister Rita Kramer

Sister Rita Kramer, CSA, formerly Sister Sara, died peacefully January 26, at St. Francis Home, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

Rita was born in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, on December 1, 1943, the daughter of Leo E. Kramer and Veronica J. Loehr Kramer. She was the sixth child in a family of twelve Kramer children, ten girls and two boys.  Rita spoke fondly of their big happy family growing up on a farm in Dotyville, Wisconsin. When the family outgrew the farmhouse in Dotyville, Rita’s parents purchased a larger home and farm in Armstrong, Wisconsin. With her brothers and sisters, Rita enjoyed many wonderful days working, playing, and praying together on their beautiful farmland in the Kettle Moraine area.  She also spoke of the tragic accident, a fire, that took the life of her older sister, Virginia, at the age of seven and of the loss of her younger sister, Ann, who died shortly after birth.  Her family always believed their two angels were watching over them.

Rita attended St. Mary’s Springs Academy in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, where she first met the Sisters of St. Agnes. After graduating in 1961, Rita followed the call within her heart to become a Sister.  She entered St. Agnes Convent in August 1961. After Rita spent three years in the congregation’s formation program, illness caused her to return home.  She then taught at St. Mary’s School in Fond du Lac for two years. During that time her love for the Sisters of St. Agnes grew, and she requested to return to the congregation. She re-entered St. Agnes Convent in August 1966 and made her first profession of vows as Sister Sara in the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes on August 15, 1967, in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

Sister Rita graduated from Marian College, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, in 1966, with a BS in Elementary Education.  She earned a Masters in Religious Studies from Marygrove College, Detroit, Michigan, in 1976.  From 1967-1981, Sister ministered in education as a teacher in parish elementary schools in Wisconsin and Illinois, and for one year as the Director of Religious Education at St. Bernard’s Parish, Watertown, Wisconsin.  Starting in 1981, Sister Rita’s focus began changing from teaching ministry to healing ministry. She worked in the Financial Aid Office at Marian College and drove for the sisters residing at the Boyle Apostolic Center in Fond du Lac from 1981 – 1984. During that time she earned her certification as a nurse aide from Moraine Park Technical Institute in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, in 1983. Her first years ministering in healthcare were spent at Nazareth Heights, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, the CSA retirement center. In 1992, Sister Rita began serving as a certified nurse aide in home health care and hospice, first, at Berlin Homecare and St. Agnes Hospital Hospice, Berlin, Wisconsin, and later at Hospice Home of Hope in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. Compassion, encouragement, loving care, a listening heart and so much more were part of the daily experience of those she served throughout her years in hospice ministry.

In January 2013, Sister Rita joined the community of CSA sisters residing at Nazareth Court and Center in Fond du Lac. There she spent her days volunteering and assisting in numerous ways to enhance the life of the sisters. True to the mission of CSA, she exemplified genuine hospitality, loving service, and care for all creation.

Sister Rita was admitted to St. Francis Home in November of 2022. There she received loving care until the time of her death.

 Preceding Sister Rita in death were her parents and her sisters Virginia, Ann, Bernadette Woeshnick and Mary Wible; her brothers-in law, Jerry Braun and Wayne Smits.

Sister is survived by her sisters, Monica (Jack) Roltgen, Susan Braun, Rosie (Bob) Baker, Magdalene Mayer, Kathy Smits; her brothers Frank (Anne) Kramer, Leo (Chris) Kramer; her brothers-in-law John Wible and Peter Woeshnick; several nieces and nephews and their families, and the Sisters of St. Agnes, with whom she lived, prayed and ministered.

Cremation has taken place.  Visitation will be held at Nazareth Court and Center, 375 Gillett Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, from 10:00—11:00 a.m. and from 12:00—1:30 p.m. on Thursday, February 2, 2023.

A prayer service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on February 2, 2023, in the Nazareth Center Chapel. Please check in for the Visitation and Prayer Service at the 375 Gillett Street entrance only.

A Liturgy of Christian Burial for Sister Rita will be held February 2, 2023, at 2:00 p.m. in St. Francis Home Chapel, 33 Everett Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, with Tom Zelinski, Capuchin, presiding. Burial at St. Joseph’s Springs Cemetery, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, will be held at a later date.

Memorials may be directed to the CSA Mission Advancement Office, 320 County Road K, Fond du Lac, WI 54937.

The Sisters of St. Agnes are grateful to the nurses and staff of Nazareth Court and Center, St. Francis Home, and Hospice Hope for their care of Sister Rita. 

Zacherl Funeral Home is serving the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes.

Download Sister Patti's obituary as a PDF.  

Download the booklet for the Mass of Christian Burial as a PDF.  

Give a donation in honor of Sister Patti Robinson

Sister Patricia (Patti) Robinson died peacefully on November 21, 2022, at Nazareth Center in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. Sister Patti’s life journey included being a daughter, wife, mother, grandmother, and a Sister of St. Agnes.

Patricia Ann was born in Watertown, New York, on April 17, 1949, the first of four children, three daughters and a son, born to James Ralph Campbell and Dolores Colin Campbell.  Patti grew up with her family in Washington, DC, and Annapolis, Maryland. On October 11, 1969, Patti married Jack D. Robinson in Annapolis, Maryland. Together they had two sons, Jeff and Jason, and owned an air-conditioning and appliance business in Garber, Oklahoma. Jack passed away unexpectedly on January 1, 1994.  While raising her sons after their father’s death, Patti earned a BS in Accounting and Finance from Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, Oklahoma, in 1996, having at times attended classes with one of her sons. Following graduation, Patti worked as a financial analyst for five years at St. John’s Hospital in Tulsa, Oklahoma, sponsored by the Sisters of the Sorrowful Mother. As Jeff and Jason became adults and were settled with families of their own, Patti felt a call to live out the rest of her life as a woman religious. She spent some time in the formation program with the Sorrowful Mother Sisters. While attending joint formation programs in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, with women from other religious communities, she met the Sisters of St. Agnes and felt drawn to their spirit and mission. She entered St. Agnes Convent in 2003 and made her first profession of vows in the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes on July 14, 2006, in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, with her children and grandchildren present.   

 Sister Patti spent her sixteen years as a Sister of St. Agnes using her financial and administrative skills, along with her heart for the disadvantaged, ministering as the accountant for CORE El Centro, Milwaukee, Wisconsin; and in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, developing the data base for the archives of St. Agnes Hospital,  serving as the administrator and Local Coordinator for the sister residents of Nazareth Court and Center, and volunteering as assistant to the manager of Solutions Center.

In April of 2019, Sister Patti became a resident at Nazareth Court and Center to receive care for her failing health.  Throughout this time, she remained a “sister mom” connecting with her sons and grandchildren while sharing life with her sisters in community until the time of her death.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Jack, and her two sisters, Vickie Hogan and Deborah Foxwell.

Sister Patti is survived by her sons, Jeff (Teri) Robinson and Jason (Meghan) Robinson; her grandchildren, Brandon, Jade, Jonah, Eden; her great-grandson, Kayden Robinson; her brother, Jim Campbell, and the Sisters of St. Agnes, with whom she lived, prayed, and ministered.

Visitation for Sister Patti was held November 23, 2022, from 10:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. at Nazareth Court and Center, 375 Gillett Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.  

A Mass of Christian Burial was offered at 2:00 p.m., November 23, 2022, at St. Francis Home Chapel, 33 Everett Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, with Tom Zelinski, OFM Cap., presiding. Cremation took place following the service. Burial will follow at St. Joseph Springs Cemetery, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, at a later date.

Memorials may be directed to the CSA Mission Advancement Office, 320 County Road K, Fond du Lac, WI 54937.

The Sisters of St. Agnes are grateful to the nurses and staff of Nazareth Court and Center and Hospice Hope for their care of Sister Patti.

Zacherl Funeral Home is serving the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes

Download Sister Donna's obituary as a PDF.  
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Give a donation in honor of Sister Donna Gottschalk

Sister Donna Gottschalk, CSA, formerly Sister Philip, died peacefully November 2, 2022, at St. Francis Home, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

Donna Marie was born in La Crosse, Kansas, on May 6, 1940.  She was the first daughter after eight sons born to Philip Gottschalk and Lidwina Werth Gottschalk. Following Donna, three more boys and two girls made the family of fourteen complete. Donna spent her childhood keeping up with her brothers, doing farm and household chores, and learning very fast how to play baseball and football with the best. When Donna was six, the family moved to Hays, Kansas, to fulfill her parents’ desire for their children to have a Catholic education.  In grade school and high school, Donna was taught by the Sisters of St. Agnes.  From early on she wanted to be just like the sisters. After high school, Donna, still undecided about pursuing her desire to be a sister, attended the College of Mount St. Scholastica in Atchison, Kansas, taught by the Sisters of St. Benedict. In 1959, after her first year of college, Donna made the decision to enter St. Agnes Convent. Even though she missed the wheat fields of Kansas and the life she shared with her family, her call to religious life beckoned her to Wisconsin and CSA.  She made her first profession of vows as Sister Philip in the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes on August 15, 1962, in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

Sister Donna earned a BS in Elementary Education from Marian College, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, in 1964.  Sister taught primary grades in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and Kansas for thirty-one years. She loved teaching and working with children, and they loved her and filled her heart with many happy memories.  During her years as an educator, she enriched her teaching and religious education skills with several courses and seminars at Ft. Hays State University, Hays, Kansas and at Silver Lake College, Manitowoc, Wisconsin.

In 1993, Sister Donna retired from teaching. After a year of sabbatical in Rock Haven, Missouri, in 1994, she engaged in a variety of ministries including serving on the parish team of Sacred Heart Parish in Colby, Kansas, and cooking for the residents at St. John’s New Horizons Assisted Living, Hays, Kansas. In 1998, Sister Donna returned to Fond du Lac as an assistant to the Local Coordinators for the CSA retirement community at Nazareth Court and Center. She spent countless hours providing for the needs of the sisters, shopping for them, driving, baking, preparing special meals and filling the sisters’ days with her caring and attentive presence and support. In 2018, a serious illness caused Sister Donna to resign her position. Unable to serve the sisters as before, she herself became a resident at Nazareth Court and Center and later at St. Francis Home where she received loving care until the time of her death.

Throughout her life, Sister Donna cherished her life in CSA and her Kansas roots. Her love for life, for her CSA sisters, for her family and friends, for the wheat fields, for the smell of the land and for all creation remained strong as did her special hobbies of cooking, baking, and cheering on the Green Bay Packers.

Preceding Sister Donna in death were her parents; her brothers Father Andrew Gottschalk, OSB, Vernon, Ivan, Cecil, Philip, Floyd, Stephen; her sister Helen (Ron) Legleiter.

Sister is survived by her brothers Donald (Theresa), Leon, Father David, OFM, Cap., Andrew (Lena); her sister Raeann (Charles) Suppes; her sisters-in-law, Dorothy (Cecil) Gottschalk, Nita (Ivan) Gottschalk, Bernadette (Philip) Gottschalk; her devoted nieces and nephews, and the Sisters of St. Agnes with whom she lived, prayed, and ministered.

Visitation will be held at Nazareth Court and Center, 375 Gillett Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, from 9:00—11:00 a.m. and from 12:00—1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, November 8, 2022.

A prayer service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, November 8, 2022, in the Nazareth Center Chapel. Please check in for the Visitation and Prayer Service at the 375 Gillett Street entrance only.

The Liturgy of Christian Burial for Sister Donna will be held on Tuesday, November 8, 2022, at 2:00 p.m. in St. Francis Home Chapel, 33 Everett Street. Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, with Tom Zelinski, OFM Cap., presiding.

Additional services will be held in Kansas at a date to be determined with burial following in a family plot in Hays.

Memorials may be directed to the CSA Mission Advancement Office, 320 County Road K, Fond du Lac, WI 54937.

The Sisters of St. Agnes are grateful to the nurses and staff of Nazareth Court and Center, St. Francis Home, and Hospice Hope for their care of Sister Donna.

Zacherl Funeral Home is serving the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes.

Download Sister Nancy's obituary as a PDF.  
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Download the prayer service booklet as a PDF.  
Download the booklet for the Memorial Mass as a PDF.  

Give a donation in honor of Sister Nancy.

Sister Nancy Derhammer, CSA, died peacefully September 25, 2022, at St. Francis Home, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

Nancy was born in Battle Creek, Michigan, on May 7, 1938, the daughter of Burton Dale Derhammer, Sr., and Lola Frances Howlett Derhammer. Her family moved to Beloit, Wisconsin, where Nancy grew up with her brother and the foster children her parents cared for until they found a permanent home. Nancy graduated from Beloit Memorial High School in 1956. She first entered St. Agnes Convent in August of 1961 and left as a Junior Novice in 1963. She taught special education students in Decatur, Indiana, before reentering St. Agnes Convent in 1970. She made her first profession of vows in the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes on June 16, 1973, in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

Sister Nancy earned a BS in Elementary Education from Marian College, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, in 1968 and an MS in Special Education from St. Francis College, Ft. Wayne, Indiana, in 1973. Throughout her years in active ministry, Sister served as an educator, pastoral minister, and case worker in schools, parishes, and mental health agencies in Wisconsin, Indiana, New York, and Pennsylvania. She was an excellent teacher who could easily handle any classroom situation and who was loved by her students, especially the boys. Sister Nancy had a special love for music and could play the piano, organ, guitar and the cornet, her favorite musical instrument. She enjoyed her years as a music teacher in Our Lady Queen of Angels School in East Harlem, New York, and Guardian Angels School in Lower Manhattan, New York.

From 2002 – 2012, Sister Nancy lived with her CSA sisters in Nanty-Glo, Pennsylvania, while volunteering as a pastoral minister at St. Mary’s Parish in Nanty-Glo and working for a brief time as a mental health case worker in the Mental Health/Intellectual Disabilities Agency of Cambria County, Pennsylvania.

One of Sister Nancy’s greatest joys was her foster sister, Jessica (Jesse), who was born with Down Syndrome and cared for by the Derhammer family until the death of Sister Nancy’s parents. At that time, Jesse was placed under the care of a state appointed guardian; however, Sister Nancy remained close to Jesse. Anyone who knew Sister Nancy knew about Jesse and their love for each other. Even as distance often separated them, Sister was devoted to Jesse, took her on many trips, invited her to spend time in her local living sites and kept a close relationship with her caregivers. She made sure Jesse was receiving the love and attention needed to address her needs and to help her experience a family who cared for her.

In July of 2012 health concerns led Sister Nancy to join the community of sisters at Nazareth Court and Center in Fond du Lac. Following knee replacement surgery in March of 2019, Sister was admitted to St. Francis Home where she was cared for until the time of her death. She is fondly remembered by the sisters and staff alike for her kindness and thoughtfulness, her keen mind, and ability to converse with anyone on a variety of topics. She loved to dabble in genealogy, poetry, and sports. She always had a jigsaw puzzle close by and could often be found with one of the nursing staff helping her place the final pieces.

Preceding Sister Nancy in death were her parents and her brother, Burton Dale Derhammer, Jr.

Sister is survived by her beloved foster sister, Jessica Alexander, and Jessica’s caretaker, Susan Tilton, and the Sisters of St. Agnes, with whom she lived, prayed and ministered.

Honoring Sister Nancy’s wishes, green burial has taken place at St. Joseph Springs Cemetery, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. Visitation will be held at Nazareth Court and Center, 375 Gillett Street, Fond du Lac, WI from 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. and from 12:00 -1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, October 18, 2022.

A prayer service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, October 18, 2022, in the Nazareth Center Chapel. Please check in for the Visitation and Prayer Service at the 375 Gillett Street entrance only.

A Memorial Mass for Sister Nancy will be held Tuesday, October 18, 2022, at 2:00 p.m. in St. Francis Home Chapel, 33 Everett Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, with Tom Zelinski, OFM Cap., presiding.

Memorials may be directed to the CSA Mission Advancement Office, 320 County Road K, Fond du Lac, WI 54937.

The Sisters of St. Agnes are grateful to the nurses and staff of Nazareth Court and Center, St. Francis Home, and Hospice Hope for their care of Sister Nancy.

Zacherl Funeral Home is serving the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes.

Permission to reprint, podcast, and/or stream the music in this service obtained from ONE LICENSE with license #A-703845. All rights reserved.
 

Give a donation in honor of Sister Collean Walsh.

Sister Collean Walsh CSA, baptized Mary Teresa, died peacefully July 6, 2022, at Nazareth Center in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

Mary was born in Yonkers, New York, on March 23, 1925, the daughter of John Joseph Walsh and Mary Esther Hannon Walsh.  She spoke fondly of her childhood growing up in Yonkers and attending Sacred Heart Parish with her devoted parents and her two brothers and two sisters.  Having attended Sacred Heart School from kindergarten through high school, Mary always acknowledged the Sisters of St. Agnes and the Capuchin Franciscans who ministered in her parish and school for nurturing her call to religious life. ln August of 1943, Mary entered St. Agnes Convent. She made her first profession of vows in the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes as Sister Collean on August 15, 1946, in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

Sister Collean earned a BS in Elementary Education from Marian College, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, in 1956 and an MA in Education and Administration from Marquette University, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1965.  Throughout her years as an educator, Sister was a learner herself attending many seminars and classes to enhance her skills as an educational leader.  Sister Collean taught every elementary grade beginning with her first position as second grade teacher at St. Luke’s School in Two Rivers, Wisconsin. She helped to open Our Lady Help of Christians School in West Allis, Wisconsin, in 1949, and St. Louis School in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, in 1958. She was teacher and principal at St. Ignatius School, Houghton, Michigan; St. Zachary School, Des Plaines, Illinois; and St. Patrick’s School, Hudson, Wisconsin. From 1975-1997, Sister Collean served as full-time principal at St. Mary’s School in Crown Point, Indiana; Precious Blood School, Ft. Wayne, Indiana, and St. Elizabeth Seton School, Oshkosh, Wisconsin. In 1997, Sister became the principal of the primary campus of FACES (Fond du Lac Catholic Education System) now known as St. Mary’s Springs Academy. She served in that role until her retirement in 2003. Sister Collean is remembered with great love by her students, their parents, and her faculty members to this day.

After retirement from full-time ministry, Sister Collean continued to be a vital presence at St. Mary’s Springs, Holy Family Parish, and in the Fond du Lac community.  She was a volunteer in the Foster Grandparent Program tutoring students at the intermediate level. She also could be seen volunteering at St. Agnes Hospital, Salvation Army and St. Vincent de Paul. Sister and her friend, the deceased Sister Ruth Ann Baudry, were familiar faces at Mass, on committees and at activities sponsored by Holy Family Parish. 

In March of 2016, Sister Collean joined the community of Sisters at Nazareth Court and Center remaining actively engaged in life up to the time of her death, motivated by her belief in the power of presence — offering a smile, a prayer, and a word of encouragement to all.  She will also be remembered for her devotion to Blessed Solanus Casey, a Capuchin Franciscan priest who ministered in Yonkers, NY, and is being considered for canonization by the Catholic Church for his life of service and his gifts of healing and prophecy.

Preceding Sister Collean in death were her parents; her brothers James and John; her sisters Margaret (Thomas) Holahan and Agnes Lucille (William) Keating.

Sister is survived by her sister-in-law, Joan Walsh; her brother-in-law, William Keating; her beloved nieces and nephews and their families; and the Sisters of St. Agnes, with whom she lived, prayed, and ministered.

Visitation will be held on Thursday, July 14, 2022, from 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. and 12:00 – 1:30 p.m. at Nazareth Court and Center, 375 Gillett Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

A Prayer Service will be held at 11:00 a.m. in the Nazareth Center Chapel. Please check in for the Visitation and Prayer Service at the 375 Gillett Street entrance only.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered for Sister Collean at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, July 14, 2022, at St. Francis Home Chapel, 33 Everett Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, with Tom Zelinski, OFM, Cap., presiding. Cremation will take place following the services.  Burial will be at St. Joseph Springs Cemetery, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, at a later date.

Memorials may be directed to the CSA Mission Advancement Office, 320 County Road K, Fond du Lac, WI 54937.

The Sisters of St. Agnes are grateful to the nurses and staff of Nazareth Court and Center and Hospice Hope for their care of Sister Collean.

Zacherl Funeral Home is serving the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes.

Permission to reprint, podcast, and/or stream the music in this service obtained from ONE LICENSE with license #A-703845. All rights reserved.
 

Download Sister Deborah Walter' obituary as a PDF.  
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Give a donation in honor of Sister Deborah Walter

Sister Deborah Walter, CSA, died peacefully June 6, 2022, at Nazareth Center in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

Deborah was born in Chicago, Illinois, on March 30, 1949, the daughter of Frederick H. Walter and Florence Hanley Walter. She moved with her family to Evanston, Illinois, where she attended St. Nicholas Grade School, staffed by the Sisters of St. Agnes.  After her 8th grade graduation, Deborah, feeling called to learn more about religious life, chose to enroll in the high school program sponsored by the sisters (Aspirancy) and attended St. Mary’s Springs Academy, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, graduating in 1967.  In September of 1967, Deborah entered St. Agnes Convent. She made her first profession of vows in the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes on August 15, 1970, in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

Sister Deborah earned a B.S. in Elementary Education from Marian College, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, in 1971, and an M. Ed. in Counseling and Psychology from Loyola University, Chicago, Illinois, in 1983.  Her commitment to the mission of the Sisters of St. Agnes and her academic and professional studies guided her as an educator, counselor, pastoral minister, diocesan consultant, and executive leader throughout her fifty-two years as a vowed woman religious.

Her life of ministry began as a primary teacher in parish schools in Crown Point, Indiana, Bronx, New York, and Fort Wayne, Indiana. She decided to leave classroom teaching because she felt she could be of greater help to children by becoming a school counselor. Thus, she became a pastoral minister at St. Joseph’s Parish, Ft. Wayne, Indiana, and at St. Joseph’s Parish in Wilmette, Illinois, serving both as a school and family counselor. She soon extended her counseling ministry to include individual adults and married couples.  In 1988, Sister joined the faculty of Marian College of Fond du Lac working as a counselor in the Student Life Program. From 1993 – 2009, Sister Deborah served her CSA community as an elected General Councilor for eight years; Vocation Director; member of the Congregation’s formation team; and as the Director of Development.  

Sister Deborah was actively involved in the Fond du Lac community, serving as Interim Director for Bethany House and as Director and Fundraiser for SHARDS, an ecumenical Christian organization serving the uninsured and underinsured in Fond du Lac County and the surrounding area. She was also a board member for several Fond du Lac service organizations and foundations.

One of Sister Deborah’s most treasured accomplishments was the foundation of the Working Families Grant at Marian University for low-income single parents struggling to support their families while attaining a bachelor’s degree. With Sister Deborah’s urging, the support of the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes, and an anonymous donor, students accepted into the program receive support services and tuition, rent, childcare, and food assistance.

Sister Deborah was working as a counselor for students in the Working Families Grant Program when serious health issues caused her to resign her position in May of 2022 and seek care at Nazareth Court and Center until the time of her death. 

Preceding her in death were her parents; two brothers, John (infant) and Michael; an infant sister, Joe Ellen; and her sister-in-law, Carol Grodzicki Walter.

Sister is survived by her niece, Raegan E. Walter, many life-long friends, and the Sisters of St. Agnes, with whom she lived, prayed, and ministered.

Cremation has taken place. Visitation will be held on Monday, June 27, 2022, from 9:00 – 11:00 a.m. and 12:00 – 1:30 p.m. at Nazareth Court and Center, 375 Gillett Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

A Prayer Service will be held at 11:00 a.m. in the Nazareth Center Chapel. Please check in for the Visitation and Prayer Service at the 375 Gillett Street entrance only.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered for Sister Deborah at 2:00 p.m. on Monday, June 27, 2022, at St. Francis Home Chapel, 33 Everett Street, Fond du Lac, WI, with Tom Zelinski, O.F.M. Cap., presiding. Burial of cremains will follow at St. Joseph Springs Cemetery, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

Memorials may be directed to the CSA Mission Advancement Office, 320 County Road K, Fond du Lac, WI 54937.

The Sisters of St. Agnes are grateful to the nurses and staff of Nazareth Court and Center and Hospice Hope for their care of Sister Deborah.

Zacherl Funeral Home is serving the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes.

Download Sister Donna Marie' obituary as a PDF.  
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Give a donation in honor of Sister Donna Marie Kleinsorge

Sister Donna Marie Kleinsorge, CSA, formerly known as Sister Cornelius, died peacefully on May 13, 2022, at Nazareth Center in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

Donna Marie was born on March 13, 1934, in Dresden, Kansas, the oldest daughter of George A. Kleinsorge, Sr., and Dorothy Mildred Dempewolf Kleinsorge.  She grew up on her family farm with one brother and four sisters. Donna Marie entered St. Agnes Convent in 1949 and graduated from St. Agnes High School in 1952. She made her first profession of vows in the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes as Sister Cornelius on August 15, 1954, in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

Sister Donna Marie was a Licensed Practical Nurse receiving her diploma from the Fond du Lac Vocational School in 1958. In 1979, she received a BS in Human Relations from Marian College, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, and later took courses in Music Therapy from Alverno College in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She continually attended classes in health care and health services to keep herself professionally updated. Sister Donna Marie’s educational pursuits and her many natural talents allowed her to serve in a variety of ministries throughout her years in religious life. She had a particular love for the elderly and relished attending to their needs. 

Her varied ministries included serving in parish school settings as a classroom teacher, music teacher, and housekeeper for her CSA sisters in Nanty Glo, Pennsylvania, Kewaskum, Wisconsin, and Hudson, Wisconsin. In Fond du Lac, she worked on the nursing staff of St. Agnes Hospital, the Sisters’ Infirmary at St. Agnes Convent, and at the Boyle Home for the Aged. She was the organist at the Leo House in New York City and in Fond du Lac at the Boyle Home and Nazareth Heights Infirmary. In 1979 she became Assistant Activity Director at St. Vincent-St. Joseph Rehabilitation Campus in Freeport, Illinois.  Sister moved to Kansas in 1982 working first in the Good Samaritan Center in Hays as a Music Therapist, Volunteer Coordinator, and Day Care Coordinator. In 1986, she ministered as a pastoral associate at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Smith Center, Kansas. She went on to serve as Health Service Coordinator at the Adult Day Care Center in Leawood, Kansas, and at Rush County Nursing Home in La Crosse, Kansas.  For eight years (1991–1999), Sister Donna Marie was the LPN Director at Grand Generation Adult Day Care Center in Grand Island, Nebraska.  She spent her last years in active ministry serving as a pastoral associate at Sacred Heart Parish in Colby, Kansas, and as a volunteer among the elderly offering a ministry of care and presence through her arts and crafts projects, her advocacy efforts, her caregiver relief services and by being a telephone companion for the elderly who lived alone or had no family.

In July of 2014, Sister Donna Marie returned to Fond du Lac and became a resident at Nazareth Court and Center where she lived with her CSA sisters and received care until the time of her death.

Sister Donna Marie was preceded in death by her parents George A. and Dorothy M. Kleinsorge and her sister, Melva Jean Edmonds.

Sister is survived by her brother George, her sisters Sister Vivian Kleinsorge, CSA, Evelyn Henderson, and Eleanora Hanna, and the Sisters of St. Agnes, with whom she lived, prayed and ministered.

Visitation will be held on Monday, May 23, 2022, from 9:45 am–11:00 a.m. and 12:00–1:30 p.m. at Nazareth Court and Center, 375 Gillett Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. A Prayer Service will be held at 11:00 a.m. Please check in for the Visitation and Prayer Service at the 375 Gillett Street entrance only.  

A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered for Sister Donna Marie at 2:00 p.m. on Monday, May 23, 2022, at St. Francis Home Chapel, 33 Everett Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, with Father James Leary, OFM Cap., presiding. Burial will follow at St. Joseph Springs Cemetery, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

Memorials may be directed to the CSA Mission Advancement Office, 320 County Road K, Fond du Lac, WI 54937.

The Sisters of St. Agnes are grateful to the nurses and staff of Nazareth Court and Center, St. Francis Home, and Hospice Hope for their care of Sister Donna Marie.

Zacherl Funeral Home is serving the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes.

Download Sister Mary Louise Pfannenstiel's' obituary as a PDF.  
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Give a donation in honor of Sister Mary Louise Pfannenstiel

Sister Mary Louise Pfannenstiel, CSA, formerly known as Sister Theodore, died unexpectedly and peacefully February 1, 2022, at St. Agnes Hospital, Fond du Lac, WI.

Mary Louise was born in Hays, KS, on September 20, 1937, the daughter of Theodore L. Pfannenstiel and Basilia Wittman Pfannenstiel. Shortly after her birth, her parents moved with Mary Louise to a family farm in Plainville, KS, where she spent her childhood. Her mother died when she was ten years old, leaving Mary Louise to be raised by her father, her grandmother, and her aunts. In September of 1951, Mary Louise entered St. Agnes Convent in Fond du Lac, WI, and attended St. Agnes High School. She made her profession of vows in the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes as Sister Theodore on August 15, 1956.

Sister Mary Louise received a BS in Elementary Education from Marian College, Fond du Lac, WI, an MS in Elementary Education from St. Francis College, Ft. Wayne, IN, and a Certificate in Library Science from Marian College of Fond du Lac. An avid learner and lover of books, she also earned several additional credits throughout her years in active ministry in religious studies, children’s literature, the teaching of reading, and building school libraries.  From 1958 – 1972, she was a primary grade teacher at St. Florian School, Milwaukee, WI; St. John the Baptist School, New Haven, IN; St. Joseph School, Decatur, IN. Beginning in 1972, she served as a learning center coordinator and librarian at St. Nicholas School, Evanston, IL; Brother Dutton School, Beloit, WI; and Sacred Heart School, Colby, KS. Sister Mary Louise returned to her birthplace, Hays, KS, in 1989 to care for her father and to volunteer as a primary teacher aide, library assistant, childcare provider, and foster grandparent at St. Joseph School in Hays, now known as Holy Family Elementary School.  After her father’s death in 1998, she remained in Hays to continue her volunteer service until joining the community of CSA sisters at Nazareth Court and Center in Fond du Lac in October 2013.

Sister Mary Louise will be remembered for her creative efforts to share with children her love for reading and literature.  While deeply proud of her Kansas roots, she loved to travel and visit historical sites across the country often riding for days on a bus to reach her destination. Gifted with a brilliant mind, an inquisitive spirit, and a heart for the poor, she was unwavering in her determination to remain actively engaged in the life and mission of her CSA community even as her increasing physical limitations made travel and group participation more difficult.  She kept her resolve to live life fully—up to the moment of her unexpected death.

Sister Mary Louise was preceded in death by her parents, her infant sister Joan Catherine, her stepmother Pauline Leiker Pfannenstiel, and her aunts Sister Mary Bridget Wittman, CSA, and Sister Audrey Pfannenstiel, CSA.

She is survived by her aunt, Mildred Walters; her cousins; and the Sisters of St. Agnes, with whom she lived, prayed and ministered.

 Visitation will be held on Thursday, February 10, 2022, from 9 –11:00 a.m. and from 12:00 -1:30 p.m. at Nazareth Court and Center, 375 Gillett Street, Fond du Lac, WI.  A Prayer Service will be held at 11:00 a.m. in Nazareth Center Chapel. Please check in for the Visitation and Prayer Service at the 375 Gillett Street entrance only.

A Mass of Christian Burial for Sister Mary Louise will be offered on Thursday, February 10, 2022, at 2:00 p.m. in St. Francis Home Chapel, 33 Everett Street, Fond du Lac, WI, with Father Larry Abler, Capuchin, presiding. Burial will follow at St. Joseph Springs Cemetery, Fond du Lac, WI.

Memorials may be directed to the CSA Mission Advancement Office, 320 County Road K, Fond du Lac, WI 54937.

The Sisters of St. Agnes are grateful to the nurses and staff of Nazareth Court and Center and St. Agnes Hospital for their care of Sister Mary Louise.

Zacherl Funeral Home is serving the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes.

Give a donation in honor of Sister Mary Menke

Download Sister Mary Menke's obituary as a PDF.  
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Sister Mary Menke, CSA, formerly known as Sister Doreen, died peacefully January 27, 2022, at Nazareth Court and Center, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

Mary Margaret was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on October 15, 1946, the daughter of Donald R. Menke and Meta Ida Graunke Menke. Meta had three sons from a previous marriage when she married Donald. Mary was the first of three girls who comprised the younger half of her family of six. During her elementary and high school years, Mary was educated and inspired by women religious from four different religious congregations serving in her neighborhood, Sisters of the Divine Savior, Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi, School Sisters of Notre Dame and the Sisters of St. Agnes. After graduation from Messmer High School in Milwaukee in 1964, Mary chose to enter St. Agnes Convent in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, making her profession of vows in the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes as Sister Doreen on August 15, 1967.

Sister Mary graduated from Marian College in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, in 1969 with a BS in Education. She enhanced this degree with theological studies throughout her years as an educator. She began her ministry as a gifted teacher of primary children at St. Joseph’s School in Rosemount, Minnesota. She also served at the following parish schools: St. Mary’s, Oshkosh, Wisconsin; Sacred Heart, Yonkers, New York; Immaculate Conception, Elmhurst, Illinois; Our Lady Queen of Angels, East Harlem, New York; St. Augustine and Mary Queen of Saints Academy both in West Allis, Wisconsin. Sister Mary created an atmosphere filled with enthusiasm for learning with her welcoming and creative spirit. After retiring from full-time teaching, she volunteered as a tutor in the Adult Literacy Program at the Dominican Center for Women in Milwaukee, WI, a culminating experience of teaching and learning that brought her great joy.       

In August of 2018, Sister Mary joined the community of CSA sisters residing at Nazareth Court and Center. In this setting, she received the care and support she needed to face the effects of her failing health until the time of her death.

Sister Mary was preceded in death by her parents and her brothers Arlin and Richard.

She is survived by her brother, Donald Menke, her sisters Ellen (Robert) Schanz and Kate Bakke, her nieces and nephews, and the Sisters of St. Agnes, with whom she lived, prayed, and ministered.

Visitation will be on Thursday, February 3, 2022, from 9:00 – 11:00 a.m. and 12:00 -1:30 p.m. at Nazareth Court and Center, 375 Gillett Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.  A Prayer Service will be held at 11:00 a.m. Please check in for the Visitation and Prayer Service at the 375 Gillett Street entrance only.  

A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered for Sister Mary at 2:00 pm on Thursday, February 3, 2022, at St. Francis Home Chapel, 33 Everett Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.  Father Larry Abler, Capuchin, will be the presider. Cremation will take place following the services.  Burial will be at St. Joseph Springs Cemetery, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, at a later date.

Memorials may be directed to the CSA Mission Advancement Office, 320 County Road K, Fond du Lac, WI 54937.

The Sisters of St. Agnes are grateful to the nurses and staff of Nazareth Court and Center and Hospice Hope for their devoted care of Sister Mary.

Zacherl Funeral Home is serving the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes.

Download Sister Joan Fisher' obituary as a PDF.  
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Sister Joan Fisher, CSA, formerly known as Sister Peter Damian, died peacefully at St. Francis Home, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, on January 11, 2022.

Joan was born in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, on September 1, 1932, to Charles William Fisher and Harriet Landreman.  One of eight children, two boys and six girls, Joan grew up on her family farm near Lamartine, Wisconsin.

Joan entered St. Agnes Convent in 1951 and made her profession of vows in the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes as Sister Peter Damian on August 15, 1953.

Throughout her years in active ministry, Sister Joan was a dedicated and energetic teacher and educational administrator. She received a BS in Education from Marian College of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, an MS in Education from St. Francis College in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and an MS in Administration from Clarke College, Dubuque, Iowa.  She also enrolled in post graduate studies in Catholic Leadership and Educational Administration at Boston College, Boston, Massachusetts. Sister Joan taught elementary grades, 5-8, in Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, and Kansas from 1953–1972. Beginning in 1972, she served as principal and administrator of schools in Wisconsin, including the Consolidated Parochial Elementary School (CPES), Marytown area, now known as Holyland Catholic School, and in rural Kansas. She also devoted time as an office manager and librarian in diocesan offices and schools where needed.

In 1988, Sister Joan moved to New Mexico where she engaged in various ministries among the Native American peoples of the area. She did mission work at St. Berard Mission in Navajo; was principal of St. Theresa of Avila School in Grants; taught at St. Joseph Mission School in San Fidel and at New Mexico State University. In 2003, Sister Joan returned to Fond du Lac and supervised student teachers for Marian College. 

Sister Joan was known for her love of classical music and for playing the piano. She actively participated in community choral groups in the local settings where she lived. On her return to Fond du Lac, she joined the South Shore Chorale and was a member of the Joyful Spirit Ensemble, a choir that served at Holy Family Parish, St. Francis Home, and St. Agnes Convent.

In March 2008, Sister Joan joined the local community of sisters at Nazareth Court and Center in Fond du Lac. A fond memory of that time is Sister Joan playing the piano in the Fireside Room to entertain the sisters and staff as they passed through. With her health declining, Sister Joan was moved to St. Francis Home in April 2013. There, she received loving care until the time of her death.

Sister Joan was preceded in death by her parents, her brothers William and Chester (infant), and her sisters Margaret (infant), Gladys Marggi, and Marian Kettenbiel.

Sister Joan is survived by her sisters Agnes Breitzman and Harriet Weisenberger, her nieces and nephews, and the Sisters of St. Agnes, with whom she lived, prayed, and ministered.

Visitation will be held Tuesday, January 18, 2022, from 9:00 -11:00 a.m. and 12:00-1:30 p.m. at Nazareth Court and Center, 375 Gillett Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.  A Prayer Service will be held at 11:00 a.m. at Nazareth Center Chapel. Please check in for the Visitation and Prayer Service at the 375 Gillett Street entrance only.  

A Mass of Christian Burial will take place on Tuesday, January 18, 2022, at 2:00 p.m. at St. Francis Home Chapel, 33 Everett Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.  Father James Leary, Capuchin, will be the presider. Burial will follow at St. Joseph Springs Cemetery.

Memorials may be directed to the CSA Mission Advancement Office, 320 County Road K, Fond du Lac, WI 54937.

The Sisters of St. Agnes are grateful to the nurses and staff of Nazareth Court and Center, St. Francis Home, and Hospice Hope for their devoted care of Sister Joan.

Zacherl Funeral Home is serving the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes.

Download Sister Mary Alice Walters' obituary as a PDF.  
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Sister Mary Alice Walters, CSA, baptized Elizabeth Johanna, died peacefully November 4, 2021, at Nazareth Center, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

Elizabeth was born on June 21, 1928, in Hays, Kansas, the second youngest of twelve children of Frank Walters and Monica Koerner Walters. Her mother died when she was four years old. Later her father married Rose Befort, a widow with two children. Frank and Rose had two children of their own, creating a blended family of sixteen to whom Sister Mary Alice was devoted all her life. She entered St. Agnes Convent in 1943 and graduated from St. Agnes High School. She made her profession of vows in the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes as Sister Mary Alice on August 15, 1947, in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

Sister Mary Alice wanted to be a teacher from an early age, hoping to develop better methods to help children learn than those from her own experience of rote learning amid strict discipline. She achieved her goal, becoming a lifelong learner and educator. She began teaching in Fall 1947 while pursuing undergraduate studies; she earned a B.S. in Education from Marian College of Fond du Lac in 1960. Sister Mary Alice taught in elementary schools in Wisconsin and Kansas. In 1971, she earned her MA in Education, with an emphasis on Administration, from Mary Manse College, Toledo, Ohio, qualifying her to serve as principal at SS. Peter and Paul School, Hortonville, WI; St. Joseph School, Hays, Kansas; St. Louis and St. Patrick School, Fond du Lac, WI; and St. Agnes School, Butler, WI. Both as a classroom teacher and a principal she fostered individualized learning and curriculums with a whole-child approach. Sister Mary Alice also served on several school boards, nonprofit boards, and educational committees including St. Mary’s Springs High School Board of Directors, Fond du Lac; the Milwaukee Archdiocesan Review Board for Accreditation; and as chairperson of the HOPE Committee (Helping Others Promote Education) a CSA initiative that awarded grants to disadvantaged schools and religious education programs for teacher certification and educational materials.

Taking on a new role from 1991-1995, Sister Mary Alice was appointed by CSA leadership to serve as local coordinator for the elderly and infirm sisters residing at Nazareth Heights in Fond du Lac.

Sister Mary Alice spent her final years in active ministry at St. Stephen’s Parish in Milwaukee from 2000-2013, beginning as a religion teacher then assuming the role of Coordinator of Religious Education. She retired from this role in 2013 and chose to continue working as a volunteer in the parish: visiting the homebound, substituting as a catechist, and being a dearly loved presence and support to the staff and parishioners. She also enjoyed gardening and offering hospitality at her home in Cudahy, located close to the parish. In May 2021, Sister Mary Alice was unexpectedly diagnosed with terminal cancer. She immediately moved to Nazareth Center where she received loving care and support until the time of her death six months later.

Sister Mary Alice was preceded in death by her parents; her stepmother; her sisters, Marcella (Ray) Dreiling, Cecelia (Clarence) Wolf, Catherine (Lex) Schmidt, Mary (Al) Pfeifer, Alice (Alfred) Windholz, Frances (Herbert) Schmidt, Rita Mae Walters, Wilma (George) Bieker, and Miriam Walters; her brothers Ralph (Anna Mae) Walters and Robert (Ernestine) Befort.

She is survived by her brother, Ronald (Pam) Walters; her sisters Rosemary (Ernest) Gerstner, Leona (George) Fross, and Janet (Jude) Gerstner; hundreds of nieces, nephews, and their families; and the Sisters of St. Agnes, with whom she lived, prayed, and ministered.

Cremation has taken place. Visitation will be held at Nazareth Court and Center, 375 Gillett Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, from 9:00 -11:00 a.m. and from 12:00 -1:30 p.m. on Thursday, December 2, 2021.

A prayer service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on December 2, 2021, in the Nazareth Center Chapel. Please check in for the Visitation and Prayer Service at the 375 Gillett Street entrance only.

The Mass of Christian Burial for Sister Mary Alice will be held on December 2, 2021, at 2:00 p.m. in St. Francis Home Chapel, 33 Everett Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, with Father Kenneth Smits, Capuchin presiding. Burial will follow at St. Joseph Springs Cemetery, Fond du Lac, WI.

Memorials may be directed to the CSA Mission Advancement Office, 320 County Road K, Fond du Lac, WI 54937.

The Sisters of St. Agnes are grateful to the nurses and staff of Nazareth Court and Center and Hospice Hope for their care of Sister Mary Alice.

Zacherl Funeral Home is serving the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes.

Download Sister Caryl Hartjes's obituary as a PDF.  
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Sister Caryl Hartjes, CSA, formerly Sister Theodine, died peacefully October 31, 2021, at Nazareth Center, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

Caryl Patricia was born in Appleton, Wisconsin, on June 22, 1935, the daughter of Theodore Hartjes and Alice Susan Ronning Hartjes. From her father, Caryl learned to love nature and the outdoors, while her mother instilled in her a love for music, dance and education. Caryl began playing piano and violin in 4th grade. After graduating from Appleton West High School in 1953, she was encouraged to become a professional musician; however, Caryl was determined to be a nurse and enrolled in St. Agnes School of Nursing, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, graduating in 1956.  She entered St. Agnes Convent in 1957 and made her profession of vows in the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes as Sister Theodine on August 15, 1959, in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

Her BS in Nursing from Marian College in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin (1960), her MA in Theological Studies from Maryknoll School of Theology (1983) and her study of Spanish paved the way for Sister Caryl to engage in ministries of healing, advocacy, and peaceful protest for the poor, the innocent, and the vulnerable, including Mother Earth, throughout her life. She began by serving as a head nurse and night supervisor at St. Agnes Hospital, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.  At St. Anthony Hospital in Hays, Kansas, she supervised the labor and delivery room, the nursery, and the women’s medical surgical unit. She also developed a county-wide home health program and assisted in implementing the ICU unit in the hospital. In 1971, Sister Caryl moved to Our Lady Queen of Angels Parish, East Harlem, New York. There she was a parish nurse making home visits and collaborating with the Little Sisters of the Assumption and Mt. Sinai Hospital to hold clinics in the church hall for those with no access to health care and to design educational programs for local women.  From 1980-1981, Sister Caryl served as a nurse at Clínica Santa Inés in Waspam, Nicaragua, allowing another sister a much-needed sabbatical.  Her service in Nicaragua completed, she returned to East Harlem, New York, as a community organizer and coordinator of family health programs.  In 1984, she joined the staff of The Newburgh Ministry, Newburgh, New York, a drop-in center for street people.

In 1989, Sister Caryl moved to Navajo, New Mexico, serving the Native American community at St. Bernard Parish.  The following year, she was appointed to CSA regional leadership for the sisters ministering in the Southwest. At the completion of this role, she enrolled in a one-year internship in ministry to persons living with HIV/AIDS at Damien Ministries in Washington, DC. She then became a staff member at Rainbow Home of Berks County, an HIV/AIDS residence located in Wernersville, Pennsylvania. Sister Caryl returned to Fond du Lac in 2000 to work first as an employed nurse and then a volunteer CNA at Hospice Home of Hope.   She engaged in a variety of other volunteer activities including visiting and offering spiritual support to inmates, facilitating the JustFaith Program at Holy Family Parish, singing and playing her violin and bells in local choirs, and serving on the Board of Directors of Waupun Memorial Hospital and several non-profit boards in the Fond du Lac community.

For several years, Sister Caryl joined the yearly peaceful protest held at Ft. Benning, Georgia, to call upon the U. S. government to close the School of Americas (SOA), a combat training school for Latin American soldiers. Its graduates were consistently involved in human rights atrocities and coups.  In November 2002, Sister Caryl committed civil disobedience by crossing the line into the school property causing her to be arrested for felony trespassing. Sentenced to three months in a federal prison, April-July 2003, she served her time in support of the thousands of people who lost their lives through acts of violence committed by SOA trained soldiers.

In May 2018, Sister Caryl joined the community of sisters at Nazareth Court and Center in Fond du Lac where, until the time of her death, she continued to inspire all who knew her with her passion for life, diversity, and social justice along with her love for God’s beautiful creation.

Sister Caryl was preceded in death by her parents; her sister, Juanita (Nicolai) Makaroff; brothers-in-law, Adam Shewchuk and Arthur Harwig.

She is survived by her sisters Jean Hartjes Shewchuk and Dolores Harwig; nieces and nephews; and the Sisters of St. Agnes, with whom she lived, prayed, and ministered.

Following her wishes, green burial has taken place at St. Joseph Springs Cemetery, Fond du Lac, WI.  Visitation will be held at Nazareth Court and Center, 375 Gillett Street, Fond du Lac, WI from 10:00 -11:00 a.m. and from 12:00 -1:30 p.m. on Monday, November 22, 2021.

A prayer service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on November 22, 2021, in the Nazareth Center Chapel. Please check in for the Visitation and Prayer Service at the 375 Gillett Street entrance only. 

A Memorial Mass for Sister Caryl will be held Monday, November 22, 2021, at 2:00 p.m. in St. Francis Home Chapel, 33 Everett Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, with Father Kenneth Smits, Capuchin, presiding.

Memorials may be directed to the CSA Mission Advancement Office, 320 County Road K, Fond du Lac, WI 54937.

The Sisters of St. Agnes are grateful to the nurses and staff of Nazareth Court and Center and Hospice Hope for their care of Sister Caryl.

Zacherl Funeral Home is serving the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes.

Download Sister Loretta Meidl's obituary as a PDF.  
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Sister Loretta Meidl, CSA, formerly Sister Eva, died peacefully, October 27, 2021, at St. Francis Home, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

Loretta was born in Ladysmith, Wisconsin, on March 15, 1925, the youngest of eight children, seven girls and one boy, born to Anton Meidl and Frances Schreiner Meidl.  Both of Loretta’s parents died of cancer by the time she was ten years old. Her sister, Hattie Thomas, took Loretta into her home in Mayville, Wisconsin, and raised her with her own children. Loretta entered St. Agnes Convent in 1939 and attended St. Agnes High School in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.  She made her profession of vows in the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes as Sister Eva on August 15, 1944, in Fond du Lac.

For the first twenty-six years of her religious life, Sister Loretta served her CSA sisters as a homemaker and laundress on mission sites in Wisconsin, Kansas, Minnesota, and Ohio; worked at St. Clare Hospital, Monroe, Wisconsin, with food services; cared for the young boys and later the older girls at Holy Family Orphanage in Marquette, Michigan. Sister Loretta treasured her memories of providing care for the boys who were brought to the orphanage as part of Operation Peter Pan, a Catholic humanitarian effort that brought unaccompanied minors to the U.S. from Cuba after Fidel Castro’s rise to power in 1959.

In 1971, Sister Loretta, desiring to broaden her skills for ministry, began to take educational courses that qualified her to be a certified teacher aide and a library aide in schools in New York, Ohio, and Wisconsin. Her study of Spanish in Coahuila, Mexico, enabled her to minister among the Spanish community at St. Louis and St. Patrick’s Parish in Fond du Lac. In July 1996, Sister Loretta moved to Boyle Apostolic Center and volunteered as a Foster Grandparent at nearby St. Patrick’s School, Fond du Lac.

Sister Loretta joined the community of sisters at Nazareth Court and Center in June 2001. There she served as the sacristan for daily Masses, crocheted colorful scrubbies for craft sales, and accompanied sisters who were sick or near death. Her own health declining, she was admitted to St. Francis Home in October 2019, where she received loving care until the time of her death.

Sister Loretta was preceded in death by her parents, her brother Joseph, her sisters Agnes Meidl, Esther Meidl, Emily Seal, Hattie Thomas, Rose Tollard, and Sister Mary Jude Meidl, CSA.

She is survived by her nieces and nephews and the Sisters of St. Agnes with whom she lived, prayed, and ministered.

Cremation has taken place. Visitation will be held at Nazareth Court and Center, 375 Gillett Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, from 9:00-11:00 a.m. and from 12:00 -1:30 p.m. on November 18, 2021.

A prayer service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on November 18, 2021, in the Nazareth Center Chapel. Please check in for the Visitation, Prayer Service, and Mass at the 375 Gillett Street entrance only.  

The Mass of Christian Burial for Sister Loretta will be held November 18, 2021, at 2:00 p.m. in Nazareth Center Chapel, 375 Gillett Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, with Father Kenneth Smits, Capuchin, presiding. Burial will follow at St. Joseph Springs Cemetery, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

Memorials may be directed to the CSA Mission Advancement Office, 320 County Road K, Fond du Lac, WI 54937.

The Sisters of St. Agnes are grateful to the nurses and staff of Nazareth Court and Center, St. Francis Home, and Hospice Hope for their care of Sister Loretta.

Zacherl Funeral Home is serving the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes.

Download Sister Bertha Bumann's obituary as a PDF.  
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Sister Bertha Bumann, CSA, formerly Sister Vincent, died peacefully October 4, 2021, at St. Francis Home, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

Sophie Bertha was born January 24, 1928, in Altoona, Pennsylvania, the daughter of Sebastian Bumann and Hedwig Erny Bumann, both immigrants from Germany, who settled in Altoona where Sebastian worked for the Pennsylvania Railroad. Bertha and her three brothers had fond memories of free train trips with their parents, particularly to Chicago and New York, one of the perks of working for the railroad. She was educated by the Sisters of St. Agnes in Altoona. In 1944, after attending Altoona Catholic High School for two years, Bertha left by train for Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, where she entered St. Agnes Convent and enrolled in St. Agnes High School, graduating in 1946. She made her profession of vows in the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes as Sister Vincent on August 15, 1947, in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

After her religious profession, Sister Bertha began teaching while pursuing her BS in Education from Marian College of Fond du Lac, graduating in August 1958. She taught for fourteen years in elementary schools in Wisconsin, Kansas, and Illinois. In 1961, her desire to be a missionary with the Sisters of St. Agnes in Nicaragua was fulfilled when she was sent to St. Mary’s College in Mankato, Minnesota, for five weeks to study Spanish and the geography and culture of Nicaragua. Her assignment to Puerto Cabezas, Nicaragua, marked the beginning of her twenty-one years of service in Puerto Cabezas, Waspam, and Managua. She supported the mission as teacher and pastoral minister, assisted with the formation of young Nicaraguan women who desired to join the congregation, and served in regional leadership for the CSA community in Latin America.  Sister Bertha’s presence, compassion, and steadfast leadership were invaluable following the earthquake of 1972 that devastated the city of Managua, and during the tumult of the political revolution of the early 1980s.

Following her decision to return to the U.S. in 1982, Sister Bertha engaged in various ministerial roles including Administrator of St. Agnes Convent, Director of Ministry at The Leo House in New York City, Local Coordinator at Nazareth Court and Center, and volunteer at St. Agnes Hospital. Having lived at St. Agnes Convent beginning in 2000, Sister Bertha joined the community of sisters residing at Nazareth Court and Center in November 2010.  Frail health led her to be admitted in November 2017 to St. Francis Home where she received loving care until her death.

Sister Bertha was preceded in death by her parents Sebastian and Hedwig Bumann; her brother Father Joseph Bumann; and her sister-in-law Yolanda Bumann.

She is survived by her brothers Vincent and Francis (Donna) Bumann; her nieces, nephews, and their families; cousins; and the Sisters of St. Agnes, with whom she lived, prayed, and ministered.

Cremation has taken place. Visitation will be held at Nazareth Court and Center, 375 Gillett Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, from 9:00-11:00 a.m. and from 12:00-1:30 p.m. on October 18, 2021.

A prayer service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on October 18, 2021, in the Nazareth Center Chapel. Please check in for the Visitation and Prayer Service at the 375 Gillett Street entrance only. 

The Mass of Christian Burial for Sister Bertha will be held on October 18, 2021, at 2:00 p.m. in St. Francis Home Chapel, 33 Everett Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, with Father Kenneth Smits, Capuchin, presiding. Burial will follow at St. Joseph Springs Cemetery, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

Memorials may be directed to the CSA Mission Advancement Office, 320 County Road K, Fond du Lac, WI 54937.

The Sisters of St. Agnes are grateful to the nurses and staff of Nazareth Court and Center, St. Francis Home, and Hospice Hope for their care of Sister Bertha.

Zacherl Funeral Home is serving the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes.

Download Sister Dolores Taddy's obituary as a PDF.  
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Sister Dolores Taddy, CSA, formerly Sister Peter, died peacefully September 18, 2021, at St. Francis Home, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

Dolores was born November 27, 1921, in Two Rivers, Wisconsin, the daughter of Paul Frank Taddy and Genevieve (Jennie) Perdzock Taddy.  She grew up with her family near Lake Michigan where her father was a commercial fisherman. Dolores attended St. Luke’s Grade School in Two Rivers which was staffed by the Sisters of St. Agnes. Upon graduation from eighth grade in 1936, Dolores entered St. Agnes Convent and earned her high school diploma from St. Agnes High School, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.  She made her profession of vows in the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes as Sister Peter on August 15, 1940, in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. 

After her religious profession, while teaching grade school, Sister Dolores pursued her BS in Education from Marian College of Fond du Lac, completing her degree in 1953.  From 1941–1967, she taught in elementary schools in Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and New York. Sister Dolores began her life as a missionary in Latin America in 1967 serving with the Sisters of St. Agnes in Ecuador and Honduras, as well as in Rosita, Waspam, and Puerto Cabezas, Nicaragua.  In 1982 in the midst of civil unrest in Nicaragua, Sister Dolores returned to the United States working in turn as a social worker at the Place 2B in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, and as a teacher at St. Francis School in Gallup, New Mexico.  In 1987, Sister Dolores chose to return to Nicaragua where she ministered for thirteen more years in Puerto Cabezas and Waspam.

Among the people of Nicaragua, Sister Dolores was beloved as a devoted and creative teacher and catechist, often mentoring young teachers. She enjoyed sharing her craft-making skills and teaching enrichment courses for women.  She had a heart for needy children and for the poor, evidenced each Sunday morning as she rode her bike to one of the poorest barrios of Puerto Cabezas to lead Scripture services.  She was known as a strong, honest, straight-forward woman with a tender heart. 

Retiring from Nicaragua in 2000, Sister Dolores returned to Fond du Lac and lived at St. Agnes Convent. She continued to engage actively in a variety of ministries: Spanish Interpreter for St. Agnes Hospital; Catechist at St. Peter’s Parish in St. Peter, WI; Volunteer at the Salvatorian Warehouse in New Holstein, WI, Nazareth Court and Center, and St. Francis Home. 

In October 2015, Sister Dolores joined the community of sisters at Nazareth Court and Center in Fond du Lac.  She was admitted to St. Francis Home with hospice care on Friday, September 17, 2021, following hospitalization for a serious illness.  She was cared for at St. Francis Home until her death early Saturday morning, September 18. 

Sister Dolores was preceded in death by her parents Paul and Genevieve (Jennie) Taddy; her brothers Raymond (Rose), Luke (Ruth Ann), Victor (Sylvia) and Cyril (Avis); her sisters Mary (Ralph) Schroeder and Rita (James) Londo.

She is survived by her nieces, nephews and their families, and by the Sisters of St. Agnes, with whom she lived, prayed, and ministered.

Cremation has taken place. Visitation will be held at Nazareth Court and Center, 375 Gillett Street, Fond du Lac, WI from 9:00 -11:00 a.m. and from 12:00 -1:30 p.m. on October 1, 2021.

A prayer service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on October 1, 2021, in the Nazareth Center Chapel. Please check in for the Visitation and Prayer Service at the 375 Gillett Street entrance only.  

The Mass of Christian Burial for Sister Dolores will be held on October 1, 2021, at 2:00 pm in St. Francis Home Chapel, 33 Everett Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin with Bishop Paul Schmitz, Capuchin, presiding.  Burial will follow at St. Joseph Springs Cemetery, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. 

Memorials may be directed to the CSA Mission Advancement Office, 320 County Road K, Fond du Lac, WI 54937.

The Sisters of St. Agnes are grateful to the nurses and staff of Nazareth Court and Center, St. Francis Home, and Hospice Hope for their care of Sister Dolores during her final years. 

Zacherl Funeral Home is serving the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes.
 

Download Sister Judith Schmidt's obituary as a PDF.  
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Sister Judith Schmidt, CSA, baptized Gladys Joan, died peacefully September 10, 2021, at St. Francis Home, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

Gladys was born April 13, 1934, in Catherine, Kansas, the oldest of seven children of Felix Schmidt and Angela Beilman Schmidt. Gladys grew up immersed in farm life among the Volga German community in Catherine.  She attended Girls Catholic High School in Hays, Kansas, where she continued being taught by the Sisters of St. Agnes.  After graduation from high school in 1952, Gladys entered St. Agnes Convent.  She made her profession of vows in the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes as Sister Judith on August 15, 1955, in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

Sister Judith received her BS in Elementary Education from Marian College of Fond du Lac in 1962, and, in 1971, her MS in Educational Administration from Marygrove College, Detroit, Michigan.  She taught in elementary schools in Wisconsin including six years as principal and teacher at St. Bernard’s School, Watertown, Wisconsin.  In 1969, she was appointed Apostolic Councilor for the congregation, assisting in educational planning and personnel placement for CSA. Following this term of service, Sister Judith was the principal of Immaculate Conception Grade School, Elmhurst, Illinois, from 1975–1977.

In 1977, Sister Judith was elected General Superior of the Congregation, a position she held until 1985. She helped lead the community through the many changes in religious life that resulted from the Second Vatican Council.

Upon completing her role as General Superior, Sister Judith attended the University of Wisconsin, Madison, taking courses in Adult Education and Governance in Higher Education. In the fall of 1986, she joined the education department at Marian College of Fond du Lac, guiding student teachers and assisting with the evening adult education programs.  In 1987, she was appointed the first Vice President of Development for Marian, a position she held for ten years.  In her final years at Marian, she served as Vice President for Community Relations and Mission.

In July 2008, Sister Judith became the first President of the combined St. Mary’s Springs High School and FACES System now known as St. Mary’s Springs Academy, Pre-K–12.  She proudly served in this position until July 2011. In appreciation for her legacy of leadership and commitment to Marian University and St. Mary’s Springs Academy, an admission award for SMSA graduates enrolling in Marian was named the Sister Judith Schmidt Award.

Sister Judith was beloved in the Fond du Lac community as an educational and civic leader, as a board member for several organizations serving those in need, and for fostering the expansion of the arts and music in the city.  In June 2016, Sister Judith joined the community of sisters residing at Nazareth Court and Center in Fond du Lac.  Frail health led her to move to St. Francis Home in 2020 where she received loving care until the time of her death.

Sister Judith was preceded in death by her parents Felix and Angela Schmidt, her brother Thomas, and her sisters Inez Schmidt (infant), Phyllis Schmidt, and Pamela Shaffer.

She is survived by her sisters Marla (Dennis) Staab and Donna Schmidt (Duane Coyle); her brother-in-law Warren Shaffer and her sister-in-law Doris Schmidt; nieces and nephews, many dear friends, and the Sisters of St. Agnes with whom she lived, prayed, and ministered.

Private funeral services will be held on Tuesday, September 21, 2021, with Father Kenneth Smits, Capuchin, presiding.  Services will include a Prayer Service at 11:00 a.m. and the Liturgy of Christian Burial at 2:00 p.m. To receive a link for livestreaming of the services on September 21, please call St. Agnes Convent, 920-907-2300, between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. by September 20.

Cremation will take place following the services. Burial will be at St. Joseph Springs Cemetery, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, at a later date.

A public Celebration of Sister Judith’s Life will be held at a future date.

Memorials may be directed to the CSA Mission Advancement Office, 320 County Road K, Fond du Lac, WI 54937.

The Sisters of St. Agnes are grateful to the nurses and staff of Nazareth Court and Center, St. Francis Home, and Hospice Hope for their care of Sister Judith in her final years.

Zacherl Funeral Home is serving the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes.

Download Sister Cecelia Schlaefer's obituary as a PDF.  
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Sister Cecelia Schlaefer, CSA, formerly Sister Paul, died peacefully August 17, 2021, at St. Francis Home, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

Cecelia was born March 11, 1922, in Campbellsport, Wisconsin, the fourth of eight children of Dr. Mathias Schlaefer and Marie Berg Schlaefer.  Dr. Mathias was an optometrist, musician, and choir and band director and Marie was a teacher. It was evident from an early age that Cecelia was gifted with innate musical talent nurtured by her family’s love of music.  After graduating from St. Mary’s Springs Academy in 1940, Cecelia entered St. Agnes Convent. She made her profession of vows in the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes as Sister Paul on August 15, 1943, in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

Sister Cecelia earned a Bachelor of Music Education degree from Alverno College, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1953.  She graduated in 1963 with a Masters in Musicology from Catholic University, Washington, DC, and in 1976 completed her Doctor of Musical Arts degree from Catholic University.  She especially treasured the opportunity to play violin with the Catholic University Symphony during her years of doctoral study. Sister Cecelia taught music in elementary and high schools in Kansas, Pennsylvania, Indiana, and Wisconsin from 1943 – 1970. In the summer of 1970, she traveled to Nicaragua and taught music in the grade schools of Waspam and Puerto Cabezas.  Gifted with the ability to play all orchestral and band instruments, she gave private and group instrumental lessons and prepared children’s, high school and college groups to perform in choruses, bands and symphony orchestras. She also served as organist and choir director for the parishes connected with these schools.

In 1974, Sister Cecelia was named Chair of the Music Department of Marian College in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, a position she held until 1986. Among her many accomplishments, she is credited with the development of Marian’s Music Education Major and Minor.   She taught academic courses, gave private lessons, and organized a symphonic orchestra, a wind ensemble, and a triple string trio, all of which performed often during the academic year. She was active in the local community, playing cornet with the Fond du Lac Community Band for twelve years.  Also a gifted violinist, pianist, and organist, she was often called upon to be a faculty performer and guest conductor.  She founded or had leadership roles in several professional organizations serving musicians in Wisconsin, Illinois, and Indiana.

Upon completion of her tenure at Marian College, the warmth of the Arizona sun led Sister Cecelia to the Southwest. There, grounded in her love of people, music, and teaching, she ministered as a liturgist, organist, and adult formation catechist from 1987 to 2017 assisting for a time in several Arizona parishes including: St. James Parish, Glendale; St. Andrew Parish, Sierra Vista; Holy Cross Parish, Mesa; and All Saints Parish, Mesa.   She volunteered countless hours entertaining in several retirement homes and care centers bringing joy and laughter with her exuberant, commanding presence and wide range of musical ability. During her visits to Wisconsin, she would provide entertainment, conduct choirs, and substitute as the organist for the residents of Nazareth Court and Center and St. Francis Home.

Sister Cecelia returned to Fond du Lac in May of 2017 to join the community of sisters at Nazareth Court and Center. In July of 2021, she transferred to St. Francis Home where she received care until the time of her death. 

Sister Cecelia was preceded in death by her parents Mathias and Marie Berg Schlaefer; her brothers, Aloysius (infant), Bishop Salvador (Albert) Schlaefer, OFM Cap, Father Austin (Francis) Schlaefer, OFM Cap, and Dr. Anthony (Marjorie) Schlaefer; her brother-in-law William Dreyer; her sisters Mary Schlaefer and Therese Weber.

She is survived by her sister Rose Dreyer, her brother-in-law, Dr. Robert Weber, her devoted nieces and nephews, and the Sisters of St. Agnes, with whom she lived, prayed and ministered.

Cremation has taken place. Visitation will be held at Nazareth Court and Center, 375 Gillett Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, from 9:00-11:00 a.m. and from 12:00 -1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, August 31, 2021.

A prayer service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on August 31, 2021, in the Nazareth Center Chapel. Please check in for the Visitation and Prayer Service at the 375 Gillett Street entrance only. 

The Mass of Christian Burial for Sister Cecelia will be held on August 31, 2021, at 2:00 p.m. in St. Francis Home Chapel, 33 Everett Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin with Father Kenneth Smits, Capuchin, presiding.  Burial will follow at St. Joseph Springs Cemetery, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

Memorials may be directed to the CSA Mission Advancement Office, 320 County Road K, Fond du Lac, WI 54937.

The Sisters of St. Agnes are grateful to the nurses and staff of Nazareth Court and Center, St. Francis Home, and Hospice Hope for their care of Sister Cecelia during her final years.

Zacherl Funeral Home is serving the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes.

Download Sister Rose André Miller's obituary as a PDF.  
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Sister Rose André Miller, CSA, baptized Mary Theresa, died peacefully August 5, 2021, at St. Francis Home, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

Mary was born July 4, 1936, in Decatur, Indiana, the daughter of Otto Andrew Miller and Rose J. Spangler Miller.  She grew up in the city of Decatur with her three brothers and two sisters.  After her graduation from Decatur Catholic High School in 1954, Mary entered St. Agnes Convent in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.  She made her profession of vows in the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes as Sister Rose André on August 15, 1957.

Sister Rose André received her BS in Elementary Education from Marian College, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, in 1962, and her MS in Education with an emphasis on the Montessori method of early childhood development from Xavier University, Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1980.   She also earned several certificates in religious education. Sister Rose André taught kindergarten and primary grade children in New York, Wisconsin, and Indiana.  She opened the kindergarten program at Holy Family School, Bronx, New York, and the kindergarten and daycare programs for St. Joseph’s School in Decatur, Indiana. She served as the administrator of the St. Joseph’s Daycare from 1994 – 1997.  Her final years of educational ministry were spent at St. Michael’s Parish in Plymouth, Indiana, where she worked with the kindergarten class and directed religious education programs for children and adults. She is fondly remembered for her warm smile, her love of children and her expertise as an early childhood educator.

In October 2003, Sister Rose André joined the community of sisters at Nazareth Court and Center in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. There she enjoyed using her many artistic and creative talents, especially quilting and decorating, to enhance the life of the Sisters, staff, and visitors.  Failing health necessitated her move to St. Francis Home in November 2020 where she received care until the time of her death.

Sister Rose André was preceded in death by her parents Otto and Rose Miller; her brothers John, Richard, and James; her sisters Ann Hinesh and Vera Burnett.

She is survived by her nieces and nephews, dear friends, and the Sisters of St. Agnes, with whom she lived, prayed, and ministered.

All funeral services will be held on Thursday, August 12, 2021, at Nazareth Court and Center Chapel, 375 Gillett Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.  Please check in for all services at the 375 Gillett Street entrance only. 

A prayer service will be held at 9:30 a.m. 

The Mass of Christian Burial for Sister Rose André will be held at 10:00 a.m. with Father Kenneth Smits, Capuchin, presiding.  Burial will follow at St. Joseph Springs Cemetery, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

Memorials may be directed to the CSA Mission Advancement Office, 320 County Road K, Fond du Lac, WI 54937.

The Sisters of St. Agnes are grateful to the nurses and staff of Nazareth Court and Center, St. Francis Home, and Hospice Hope for their care of Sister Rose André in her final years.

Zacherl Funeral Home is serving the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes.

Download Sister Beata Reiser's obituary as a PDF.  
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Sister Beata Reiser, CSA, baptized Patricia Rita, died peacefully July 7, 2021, at St. Francis Home, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

Patricia was born in Lomira, Wisconsin, on December 17, 1937, the daughter of George Nicholaus Reiser and Genevieve Johannah Seiler Reiser.  Raised on her family farm, Patricia enjoyed doing farm chores with her brother and sister.

Patricia entered St. Agnes Convent in 1951 and earned her high school diploma from St. Agnes High School in 1954.  She made her profession of vows in the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Agnes as Sister Beata on August 15, 1956, in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

Sister Beata graduated from St. Agnes School of Nursing, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, in 1959 and received her B.S. in Nursing from Marian College, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, in 1961. For fifty-six years, Sister Beata was a devoted nurse with a special heart for the poor, the elderly, and the dying. She continually updated her professional skills to serve more effectively.

Sister served at St. Agnes Hospital, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin; St. Clare Hospital, Monroe, Wisconsin; The Fond du Lac Community Health Center, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin; and at Nazareth Heights Infirmary, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.  From 1991-2012, Sister Beata was a hospice nurse providing end of life care in several rural Mississippi communities: Hospice of Central Mississippi, Jackson; Whispering Pines Hospice, Jackson; Hospice Ministries, Ridgeland, serving out of its branch office in Forest.

In June of 2012, Sister Beata returned to Fond du Lac to reside at St. Agnes Convent until moving to Nazareth Court and Center in February of 2017. Frail health necessitated her move to St. Francis Home where she was cared for until the time of her death.

Sister Beata was preceded in death by her parents, George and Genevieve Reiser, her brother, George Joseph Reiser, and her brother-in-law, Samuel Paniccia.

Sister is survived by her sister, Rosemary Paniccia, nieces and nephews, and the Sisters of St. Agnes, with whom she lived, prayed, and ministered.

Visitation will be held at Nazareth Court and Center, 375 Gillett Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin from 9:00 -11:00 a.m., and from 12:00 -1:30 p.m., on Friday, July 16, 2021.  A Prayer Service will be held on Friday, July 16, 2021, at 11:00 a.m., in Nazareth Center Chapel.  Please check-in for the Visitation and Prayer Service at the 375 Gillett Street entrance only.

The Liturgy of Christian Burial for Sister Beata will be held on Friday, July 16, 2021, at St. Francis Home, 33 Everett Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, with Father Kenneth Smits, Capuchin, presiding. Burial will follow at St. Joseph Springs Cemetery, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

Memorials may be directed to the CSA Mission Advancement Office, 320 County Road K, Fond du Lac, WI 54937.

The Sisters of St. Agnes are grateful to the nurses and staff of Nazareth Court and Center, St. Francis Home, and Hospice Hope for their care of Sister Beata during her final years.

Zacherl Funeral Home is serving the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes.

Download Sister Mary Martha Karlin's obituary  as a PDF.  
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Sister Mary Martha Karlin, CSA, baptized Rita Anarda, died peacefully July 6, 2021, at Nazareth Center, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

Rita was born March 26, 1926, in Severin, Kansas, the daughter of Leo Karlin and Martha Etzel Karlin.  She grew up in a farm family of fifteen, 10 boys and five girls. Rita entered St. Agnes Convent in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, in 1945 and graduated from St. Agnes High School, Fond du Lac, in 1947. She made her profession of vows in the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes as Sister Mary Martha on August 15, 1948.

While in high school, Sister Mary Martha worked as a nurse’s aide at a local hospital. This experience influenced her desire to become a nurse.  After one year at Marian College, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, Sister transferred to St. Agnes School of Nursing, Fond du Lac, in 1948 and graduated as a licensed registered nurse in 1951. She earned her B.S. in Nursing from Marian College in 1956.  She served as a nurse at St. Agnes Hospital, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin; St. Anthony’s Hospital, Hays, Kansas; and Nazareth Heights, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.  She also was a nursing instructor at St. Agnes School of Nursing, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. In 1972, Sister received a Nursing Home Administration License from the Fox Valley Technical Institute of Appleton, Wisconsin. She then became Director of Nursing in hospitals and nursing homes in Wisconsin and Kansas. She completed her years in hospital ministry as a chaplain at St. Anthony’s Hospital in Hays, Kansas, from 1988-1992. 

After retiring from healthcare, Sister Mary Martha remained in Hays, Kansas, to engage in CSA community service: pre-retirement coordinator for the CSA sisters at St. Joseph Convent in Hays and onsite coordinator for the CSA Associates in Hays. Sister was also active in the local Hays community as a hospice volunteer, a volunteer for the Community Assistance Center, and a board member for the Mary Elizabeth Maternity Home. In 2004, Sister Mary Martha moved to Nazareth Court and Center where she resided until the time of her death.

Sister Mary Martha was preceded in death by her parents Leo and Martha Karlin; her brothers Norman and Gerard (infants), and Lawrence, Leroy, Herbert, Frederick, Felix, and Peter; and her sisters Leocadia Dreiling, Martha Biegler, and Sister Leonissa Karlin, CSA.

She is survived by her brothers John Karlin, Tom (Laura) Karlin, and her sister Betty Pfeifer; her sisters-in-law Nadine (+Frederick) Karlin, Arlene (+Leroy) Karlin, Sharon (+Lawrence) Karlin, and the Sisters of St. Agnes, with whom she lived, prayed, and ministered.

Visitation will be held at Nazareth Court and Center, 375 Gillett Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, from 9:00-11:00 a.m. and from 12:00 -1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, July 13, 2021.  

A prayer service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, July 13, 2021, in the Nazareth Center Chapel. Please check in for the Visitation and Prayer Service at the 375 Gillett Street entrance only. 

The Mass of Christian Burial for Sister Mary Martha will be held on Tuesday, July 13, 2021, at 2:00 p.m. in St. Francis Home Chapel, 33 Everett Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, with Father Kenneth Smits, Capuchin, presiding.  Burial will follow at St. Joseph Springs Cemetery, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

Memorials may be directed to the CSA Mission Advancement Office, 320 County Road K, Fond du Lac, WI 54937.

The Sisters of St. Agnes are grateful to the nurses and staff of Nazareth Court and Center and Hospice Hope for their care of Sister Mary Martha in her final years.

Zacherl Funeral Home is serving the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes.

Download Sister Marie Wagner's obituary as a PDF.  
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Sister Marie Wagner, CSA, formerly known as Sister Nicholas, died peacefully July 2, 2021, at St. Francis Home, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

Marie was born in the Town of Mosel, Wisconsin, on January 1, 1922, the daughter of Anton J. Wagner and Mary Zimmermann Wagner.  Marie’s mother, Mary, died shortly after childbirth.  Her maternal grandparents raised Marie until Anton remarried when Marie was still very young.  Marie was then blessed with two half-brothers.  Together, they became a very close-knit family.  

Marie graduated from St. Mary’s Springs Academy in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, in June 1940 and in August entered St. Agnes Convent. She made her profession of vows in the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes on August 15, 1943.

Sister received a B.S. in Education from Marian College of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, in 1953. She earned her M.S. in Education, with a concentration in counseling, from St. Louis University, St. Louis, MO, updating her professional knowledge and skills throughout her years as educator and counselor. 

Sister Marie ministered for 27 years in parish schools in Wisconsin and Pennsylvania.  She joined the staff of Marian College in 1971 and was an elementary school counselor for the Fond du Lac Area Catholic Schools. From 1972 until 1981, she provided educational and career counseling for Marian College students.

In 1981, Sister Marie began a variety of volunteer ministries in Fond du Lac.  She assisted in the archives of the Sisters of St. Agnes before moving in 1985 to Nazareth Heights where she generously offered support for other residents.   She volunteered at the Fond du Lac Senior Center, St. Agnes Hospital, and as a counselor for the ADVOCAP Neighborhood Youth Corps. In 1998, she moved with the retired sisters from Nazareth Heights to Nazareth Court and Center where she shared actively in the life of the community until shortly before her death.

Sister Marie was preceded in death by her parents, Anton J. and Mary Zimmermann Wagner; her stepmother, Nerina Pfister Wagner; and her two beloved half-brothers, Hilmer Wagner and Victor (Dorothy) Wagner.

Sister is survived by her sister-in-law, Hazel Wagner, nieces and nephews, and the Sisters of St. Agnes, with whom she lived, prayed, and ministered.

Visitation will be held at Nazareth Court and Center, 375 Gillett Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin from 9:00 -11:00 am and from 12:00 -1:30 pm on Wednesday, July 7, 2021.  Please check in for the Visitation at the 375 Gillett Street entrance only.

In view of current health precautions, a Prayer Service and Funeral Mass will be held privately on July 7, 2021, with limited attendance. Father Kenneth Smits, Capuchin, will preside at the Liturgy of Christian Burial at St. Francis Home, 33 Everett Street. Burial will follow at St. Joseph Springs Cemetery, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

Memorials may be directed to the CSA Mission Advancement Office, 320 County Road K, Fond du Lac, WI 54937.

The Sisters of St. Agnes are grateful to the nurses and staff of Nazareth Court and Center, St. Francis Home, and Hospice Hope for their care of Sister Marie during her final years.

Zacherl Funeral Home is serving the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes.

Download Sister Janice Funk's obituary as a PDF.  
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Sister Janice Funk, CSA, baptized Nancy Lucille, died peacefully at St. Francis Home, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, on June 23, 2021.

Nancy was born in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, on May 14, 1934, the daughter of Milbert Funk and Lucille Zangl Funk. The oldest child in her close-knit family, she had two sisters and a brother.  Nancy entered St. Agnes Convent in 1948 and attended St. Agnes High School. After graduation in 1951, she continued her preparation for religious life and received the religious name, Sister Janice. She professed her vows in the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes on August 15, 1953, in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

In 1962 Sister Janice received a B.S. in Education from Marian College of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. She earned her M.S. in Education from St. Mary College, Leavenworth, Kansas, and updated her professional knowledge throughout her life as an educator.

Sister Janice ministered as an elementary teacher from 1953-2004 in Wisconsin, Kansas, and Illinois. She spent more than thirty years in parish schools within the Green Bay Diocese. Sister participated in the Foster Grandparent Program from 2004-2011, when she became a volunteer tutor.

Sister Janice moved for a time to St. Agnes Convent, Fond du Lac. She joined the sister residents at Nazareth Court and Center in 2017, living there until shortly before her death.

Sister Janice was preceded in death by her parents, Milbert and Lucille Zangl Funk, brother-in-law Robert LaPlante, and grandnephew Tucker.

She is survived by her sisters, Sister Jeannine Funk, CSA, and Susan LaPlante; her brother, Father David Funk, Capuchin; nieces Marin LaPlante-Kleinke (Jeff Kleinke), Courtney (Jason) Jacobitz, and Abby (Clint) Dexter; a grandniece Madeline and grandnephews Cooper, Jensen, Brooks, Corbin and Layton; and by the Sisters of St. Agnes, with whom she lived, prayed, and ministered.

Visitation will be held at Nazareth Court and Center, 375 Gillett Street, Fond du Lac, WI from 9:00-11:00 a.m. and from 12:00-1:30 p.m. on Thursday, July 1, 2021.  Please check-in for the Visitation at the 375 Gillett Street entrance only.

In view of health precautions currently in place, a Prayer Service and Mass will be held privately July 1, 2021, with limited attendance. Father David Funk, Capuchin, will preside at the Liturgy of Christian Burial at St. Francis Home, 33 Everett Street. Burial will follow at St. Joseph Springs Cemetery, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

Memorials may be directed to the CSA Mission Advancement Office, 320 County Road K, Fond du Lac, WI 54937.

The Sisters of St. Agnes are grateful to the nurses and staff of Nazareth Court and Center and St. Francis Home who cared for Sister Janice in her final years.

Zacherl Funeral Home is serving the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes.

Download Sister Elizabeth Ann Thiel's obituary as a PDF.  
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Sister Elizabeth Ann Thiel, CSA, baptized Margaret, died peacefully at St. Francis Home, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, on June 19, 2021.

Margaret was born in Hilbert, Wisconsin, on March 27, 1926, the daughter of Michael Thiel and Elizabeth Bauer.  She grew up on the family farm near St. John, Wisconsin, with her three sisters and three brothers. Margaret entered St. Agnes Convent in 1948 receiving the religious name, Sister Elizabeth Ann. She professed her vows in the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes on August 15, 1952, in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

Sister Elizabeth Ann received her B.S. in Education from Marian College of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, in 1962, having taught in several Catholic elementary schools while earning her degree. In 1974, Sister received her M.S. in Guidance and Counseling from the University of Wisconsin, Oshkosh, Wisconsin. She also earned a certificate in theology and religious education from St. Norbert’s College, De Pere, Wisconsin.

Throughout her life in active ministry, Sister Elizabeth Ann served as a teacher, principal, and director of religious education programs for children and adults. She taught at St. Peter Claver School, Sheboygan, Wisconsin; St. Joseph Orphanage, Baraga, Michigan; Our Lady Queen of Angels, East Harlem, New York; St. Mary’s School, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. She was both a teacher and principal at St. Joe’s School near Johnsburg, Wisconsin, and at St. Joseph’s School in Berlin, Wisconsin.  From 1980 – 1997, Sister was the Religious Education Coordinator for St. Peter’s Parish in Springerville, Arizona.  In 1997, she moved to the Clifton Apartments in Sherwood, Wisconsin, where she volunteered her services as a caretaker for other elderly residents. During this time, she also volunteered at St. John’s Parish in St. John, Wisconsin, and Sacred Heart Parish in Sherwood, Wisconsin.

In January 2015, Sister Elizabeth Ann moved to Fond du Lac and joined the sister residents living at Nazareth Court and Center until frail health necessitated her move to St. Francis Home.

Sister Elizabeth Ann was preceded in death by her parents, Michael and Elizabeth Bauer Thiel; her sisters, Dorothy (Leander) Schmidt and Laurina (Roland) Breit; her brothers, Norbert (Evelyn) Thiel and Clarence (Clara) Thiel.

She is survived by her sister, Mardella (Larry) Wienseckel, her brother, Art (Jane) Thiel, several nieces and nephews, many dear friends, and by the Sisters of St. Agnes, with whom she lived, prayed, and ministered.

Visitation will be held at Nazareth Court and Center, 375 Gillett Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, from 9:00-11:00 a.m. and from 12:00-1:30 p.m. on Monday, June 28, 2021.  Please check-in for the Visitation at the 375 Gillett Street entrance only.

In view of health precautions currently in place, a Prayer Service and Mass will be held privately June 28 with limited attendance. Father Ken Smits, Capuchin, will preside at the Liturgy of Christian Burial at St. Francis Home, 33 Everett Street. Burial will follow at St. Joseph Springs Cemetery, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

Memorials may be directed to the CSA Mission Advancement Office, 320 County Road K, Fond du Lac, WI 54937.

The Sisters of St. Agnes are grateful to the nurses and staff of Nazareth Court and Center and St. Francis Home who cared for Sister Elizabeth Ann in her final years.

Zacherl Funeral Home is serving the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes.

Give a donation in honor of Sister Bertha Ann Miller

Download Sister Bertha Ann Miller's obituary as a PDF.  

Sister Bertha Ann Miller, CSA, baptized Mary Agnes Miller, died peacefully March 27, 2021, at St. Francis Home in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

Mary Agnes was born in Decatur, Indiana, on January 21, 1926, to Peter C. Miller and Anna Bertha Gase Miller. She grew up on the family farm with her three brothers and three sisters.

After graduating from Decatur Catholic High School in 1944, Mary Agnes entered the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. She made her first profession of vows in the Congregation as Sister Bertha Ann on August 15, 1947.

Sister Bertha Ann received a BS in Education from Marian College of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, in 1954. She taught primary grades for twenty-nine years in Wisconsin, Kansas, and Illinois. In 1971, Sister Bertha Ann received a certificate in Theological Studies from Marian College. She continued throughout her life to enrich herself and enhance her ministerial skills with courses in education and theology.

Sister served as librarian for two years at St. Mary’s School, Oshkosh, Wisconsin. From 1978 – 1986, she worked in the Business Office of St. Mary’s Springs High School in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. She then served for twenty years as the bookkeeper for The Leo House in New York City. Her dedicated service and precise accounting are still remembered by the staff of The Leo House.

In 2006, Sister Bertha Ann retired from full-time ministry and joined the community of sisters living at Nazareth Court and Center. Throughout her life in community and in her places of ministry, she was beloved for her gentle, patient spirit and her attention to detail—not resting until the day’s work was done well.

Sister Bertha Ann was preceded in death by her parents Peter and Anna Bertha Gase Miller; her brothers James and Oscar Miller; and her sister Rosalia A. Noonan.

Sister is survived by her brother Andrew (Jacqueline) Miller; her sisters Frances Gruss and Naureen (Carl) Ehinger; nieces and nephews; and the Sisters of St. Agnes, with whom she lived, prayed and ministered.

A private Mass of Christian Burial for Sister Bertha Ann will be held on April 7, 2021, in the Nazareth Center Chapel, 375 Gillett Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, with Father Ken Smits, Capuchin, presiding. Burial will follow at St. Joseph Springs Cemetery in Fond du Lac.

Memorials can be directed to the CSA Mission Advancement Office, 320 County Road K, Fond du Lac, WI 54937.

The Sisters of St. Agnes are grateful to the nurses and staff of Nazareth Court and Center, St. Francis Home, and Hospice Hope for their care of Sister Bertha Ann in her final years of life.

Zacherl Funeral Home is serving the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes.

Give a donation in honor of Sister Ruth Ann Baudry

Download  Sister Ruth Ann Baudry's obituary as a PDF.  

Sister Ruth Ann Baudry, CSA, baptized Bereneice, died peacefully March 13, 2021, at St. Francis Home, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

Bereneice, the daughter of George and Ruth Allain Baudry, was born on April 14, 1933, in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. She grew up on a farm near Eden with her two sisters and two brothers. Her education began in a one-room schoolhouse in Marblehead and continued at St. Joseph’s 9th Grade and St. Mary’s Springs Academy, both in Fond du Lac.

Bereneice entered St. Agnes Convent in 1950. In May of 1951 she received her high school diploma from St. Agnes High School. Bereneice made her first profession of vows in the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes as Sister Ruth Ann on August 15, 1954.

Sister Ruth Ann earned her B.S. in Education from Marian College in August of 1961. Throughout her life, Sister Ruth Ann was a dedicated and gifted educator, honored with many awards for her excellence, creativity, and love for children. Sister Ruth Ann taught primary grades in: East Harlem, New York; Defiance, Ohio; Two Rivers, Wauwatosa, and Hortonville, Wisconsin. For thirty years, she served in the Fond du Lac Catholic Education System (FACES) teaching at the St. Patrick, St. Louis, and St. Joseph campuses. During her years with FACES, Sister Ruth Ann served as a cooperating teacher, supervising student teachers, for which Marian University honored her with a distinguished service award. A pioneer in individualized instruction, Sister Ruth Ann authored the book, Games for Individualizing Learning, which was published in 1976.

Sister Ruth Ann’s love for teaching extended beyond the daily classroom to include coordination of religious education programs, especially for children with special needs. She was active on the Human Concerns Committee for Marian University and several committees for Holy Family Parish in Fond du Lac. She is lovingly remembered by the Fond du Lac Hmong Community. Since 1985, Sister Ruth Ann assisted Hmong families in obtaining housing, legal aid, health services, nutrition assistance, and immunizations for their children. She would often personally deliver supplies of clothing, food, and furniture to support families as they settled in the Fond du Lac community.

After retiring from full-time teaching in 2009, Sister Ruth Ann worked half-days at the Christian Parents for Kids Daycare located in Peebles, Wisconsin.

In October of 2016, Sister Ruth Ann joined the community of CSA sisters at Nazareth Court and Center in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. There she continued to serve the Hmong community and special needs children until her health became frail. In November of 2017, Sister Ruth Ann was presented with the Vatican II Award for Service in Education by the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, a truly fitting tribute to her life of service to children, immigrants, and the poor.

Sister Ruth Ann was preceded in death by her parents George and Ruth Baudry; her sister Georgene (Gerard) Clair, her brother Alden (Arlene) Baudry and her niece, Sharon Baudry. She is survived by her brother LeRoy (Carol) Baudry and her sister Rose Mary (Jerry) Dettlaff, many nieces and nephews, and the Sisters of St. Agnes, with whom she lived, prayed, and ministered.

A private Liturgy of Christian Burial for Sister Ruth Ann will be held on March 22, 2021, in the Nazareth Center Chapel, 375 Gillett Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, with Father Kenneth Smits, Capuchin, presiding. Burial will follow at St. Joseph’s Springs Cemetery, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

Memorials can be directed to the CSA Mission Advancement Office, 320 County Road K, Fond du Lac, WI 54937.

The Sisters of St. Agnes are grateful to the nurses and staff of Nazareth Court and Center/St. Francis Home and Hospice Hope for their care of Sister Ruth Ann during her final years of life.

Zacherl Funeral Home is serving the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes.

Give a donation in honor of Sister Mary Christopher Esler

Download  Sister Mary Christopher's obituary as a PDF.  

Sister Mary Christopher Esler, CSA, baptized Carol Gertrude Esler, died peacefully on January 31, 2021, at Nazareth Center, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

Carol Gertrude began her “love affair with life” as she described it, on February 14, 1927. Born that day in Kaukauna, Wisconsin, in her home across the street from St. Mary’s Church, she was the third child of Nicholas Esler and Alfa Deno Esler. Throughout her life, she treasured her childhood memories of a loving father, mother, and two siblings who nurtured her faith and taught her to be generous especially to those in need.

By the time Carol was in 6th grade, she knew she wanted to work in the healthcare field and become a nurse. In 8th grade, she sensed a call to religious life, yet relieved that her father thought she was too young to go to the convent, she attended Kaukauna High School taking classes required for the nursing field. In 1945 upon her graduation from high school, God knocked on the door of her heart again with a call to religious life. However, she had a career path she wanted to pursue and chose to enroll as a Cadet Nurse in St. Agnes School of Nursing in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. She received her RN certificate in 1948.

Once again, God’s call to religious life touched her heart. Although she received her nursing certificate through the Sisters of St. Agnes, she was not interested in joining their community and began investigating missionary communities of women religious. However, one of the sisters in the nursing school recognized the letters Carol was receiving from other religious congregations and arranged an interview for her with the general superior of the Sisters of St. Agnes. Carol agreed to meet with Mother Angeline because, after all, they did do missionary work in Nicaragua. To her surprise, Mother Angeline invited her to enter the community the following week. Carol accepted the invitation and began what she called her biggest romance in life.

Carol entered the Sisters of St. Agnes in 1948 and, when received into the novitiate in 1949, became Sister Mary Christopher. She made her first profession of vows on August 15, 1951.

Sister Mary Christopher fulfilled her childhood dream and served in healthcare ministries throughout her life. She received her BS in Nursing from Marian College in 1951. Following graduation, she worked as a staff nurse at St. Agnes Hospital in Fond du Lac. In 1953, St. Agnes Hospital recognized the need to open an Occupational Therapy Department. Sister Mary Christopher’s talents in crafts and her nursing background made her a perfect candidate for this position. From 1954 to 1957, she attended the College of St. Catherine in St. Paul, Minnesota, earning a certificate as a Registered Occupational Therapist. She then organized, initiated, and expanded the Occupational Therapy Department at St. Agnes Hospital while at the same time working as a nurse therapist and in rehab at Nazareth Heights Infirmary, the retirement center for the Sisters of St. Agnes. After serving in Pastoral Care at St. Clare Hospital in Monroe, Wisconsin, from 1979—1980, Sister Mary Christopher returned to Fond du Lac for hospice training and worked for five years as a home visit nurse with Hospice Hope. Returning to CSA community service in 1985, Sister Mary Christopher provided therapeutic services, foot care, and transportation for the elderly sisters at Nazareth Heights and at the new CSA retirement center, Nazareth Court and Center in Fond du Lac until 2008. After her years in full-time ministry, Sister Mary Christopher offered foot care for the sisters with whom she lived at the CSA motherhouse. In 2019, Sister Mary Christopher became a resident at Nazareth Court and Center. There, her nursing services continued, as she would often spend her days crocheting baby caps for the newborns at St. Agnes Hospital. Her healing touch will be remembered by many.

Sister Mary Christopher had a contemplative spirit which she expressed through her poetry and storytelling. She enjoyed biking and being in nature, was an avid bird watcher and lover of wildflowers, and was committed to the care of Earth even advocating that the land near the former Nazareth Heights become a Nature Preserve for the people of Fond du Lac County. She also found great spiritual solace through her participation with the Bread of Life Charismatic Prayer Group.

Sister Mary Christopher was preceded in death by her parents, Nicholas and Alfa Esler, her brother, George and her sister, Vera Juckem.

She is survived with great fondness by her nine nieces, one nephew, their families, and the Sisters of St. Agnes, with whom she lived, prayed, and ministered.

A burial service for Sister Mary Christopher was held on February 3, 2021, at St. Joseph Springs Cemetery, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. A private Memorial Mass for Sister Mary Christopher will be celebrated on February 18, 2021, at Nazareth Center Chapel with Father Ken Smits, Capuchin, presiding.

Memorials may be directed to the CSA Mission Advancement Office, 320 County Road K, Fond du Lac, WI, 54937.

The Sisters of St. Agnes are grateful to the nurses and staff of Nazareth Court and Center for their care of Sister Mary Christopher in her last years of life.

Zacherl Funeral Home is serving the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes.

Give a donation in honor of Sister Suzanne Kotel

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Sister Suzanne Kotel, CSA, baptized Mary, died peacefully on December 13, 2020, at Nazareth Center, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

Mary, the daughter of Joseph and Helen Kotel, was born on January 29, 1927, in Marquette, Michigan. Mary had eight brothers and three sisters, all of whom preceded her in death. She began her high school education at Baraga High School and completed it at Holy Family Orphanage in Marquette where she and her siblings were cared for following her mother’s death in childbirth.

Mary entered St. Agnes Convent in 1945 and made her first profession of vows in the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes as Sister Suzanne on August 15, 1948.

Sister Suzanne spent her life in service to her CSA sisters and to the poor and homeless. She ministered as a cook, laundress, and homemaker at St. Agnes Convent, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, St. Anthony Hospital in Hays, Kansas, St. Mary’s Parish Convent in Lomira, Wisconsin, St. Mary’s Springs Academy and St. Joseph Springs Farm, both in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. During her many years serving at St. Agnes Convent, Sister Suzanne would be seen driving her station wagon around Fond du Lac early in the morning to pick up day-old bread from local grocery stores to deliver to individuals in need and organizations serving the poor.

For over twenty years, Sister Suzanne volunteered once a week at the Salvatorian Mission Warehouse in New Holstein, Wisconsin, working side by side with the founder, Brother Regis Fust, SDS, Sister Dora Zapf, SDS, and other volunteers packing supplies of clothing, furniture, paper products, food and medical supplies for Catholic missionaries in 14 countries around the world, including the Sisters of St. Agnes serving in Latin America.

In December of 2016, due to frail health, Sister Suzanne joined the community of CSA sisters at Nazareth Court and Center in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. There she continued to find ways to help the poor until the time of her death.

Sister Suzanne was preceded in death by her parents Joseph and Helen Kotel; her brothers Raymond, John, Robert, Paul, James, Martin, William, and Eugene; her sisters Evelyn, Josephine, and Helen. She is survived by her sister-in-law Marilyn Kotel, her dear friend, Sandra Hannah, many recipients of her generosity, and the Sisters of St. Agnes, with whom she lived, prayed and ministered.

A graveside burial service was held for Sister Suzanne at St. Joseph Springs Cemetery, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, on December 21, 2020. A private Memorial Mass will be held on January 12, 2021, in the Nazareth Center Chapel, 375 Gillett Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, with Father Kenneth Smits, Capuchin, presiding.

Memorials can be directed to the CSA Mission Advancement Office, 320 County Road K, Fond du Lac, WI 54937.

The Sisters of St. Agnes are grateful to the nurses and staff of Nazareth Court and Center/St. Francis Home and Hospice Hope for their care of Sister Suzanne during her final years of life.

Zacherl Funeral Home is serving the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes.

Give a donation in honor of Sister Rachel Doerfler

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Sister Rachel Doerfler, CSA, baptized Mary Agnes Doerfler, died peacefully on December 11, 2020, at St. Francis Home, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

Mary Agnes was born in Hays, Kansas, on July 19, 1923, to Joseph Doerfler and Agnes Staab Doerfler.  She had ten siblings, four brothers and six sisters.

Mary Agnes entered St. Agnes Convent in 1938 and made her first profession of vows in the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes as Sister Rachel on August 15, 1942.  She received a BS in Education from Marian College in 1953, an MA in English from Notre Dame University in 1963, an MA in Teaching Religion from Manhattanville College in Purchase, New York, in 1967.

Sister Rachel’s seventy-eight years of ministry in the congregation included over thirty years as an elementary teacher and principal in Wisconsin, New York, and Indiana, and as a high school religion teacher at Marian High School in Hays, Kansas. She also served the congregation as directress of postulants, vicar general of the congregation for eight years, and regional coordinator for eight years. While serving on the general council, Sister was director of the CSA formation program and was instrumental in initiating the associate program for the community.

Following a year’s sabbatical in 1990, Sister Rachel served for 23 years in pastoral ministry at St. Louis the King parish in Glendale, Arizona, as director of adult faith formation, R.C.I.A., Stephen Ministries, and liturgy/environment. In 2014 she retired to the motherhouse in Fond du Lac where she continued to serve as a volunteer at St. Agnes Hospital and St. Vincent de Paul store while also extending hospitality through prayer, letter-writing to family and friends, creative cards, and reaching out to anyone in need. When her health began to decline, Sister moved to Nazareth Court and Center until a recent illness necessitated her transfer to St. Francis Home.

Sister Rachel was preceded in death by her parents Joseph and Agnes Doerfler, her brothers Alfred and Marvin, her sisters Lucille Befort, Isabel Gabel, Mildred Fitzgerald, and Edna Brown.  Sister Rachel’s brother Wilfred also passed away on December 11, 2020. Sister is survived by her brother Harold and her sisters Kathryn Rohr and Annette Seib, her nieces and nephews, and the Sisters of St. Agnes, with whom she lived, prayed, and ministered.

Burial services for Sister Rachel were held at St. Joseph Springs Cemetery, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, on December 14, 2020.

A private Memorial Mass will be held on December 21, 2020, at Nazareth Center Chapel, 375 Gillett St., Fond du Lac, WI, with Father Ken Smits, Capuchin, presiding.

Memorials can be directed to the CSA Mission Advancement Office, 320 County Road K, Fond du Lac, WI 54937.

The Sisters of St. Agnes are grateful to the nurses and staff of Nazareth Court and Center, St. Francis Home, and Hospice Hope for their care of Sister Rachel.

Zacherl Funeral Home is serving the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes.

Give a donation in honor of Sister Ann Walters.

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Sister Ann Walters, CSA, baptized Mary Loraine Walters, died peacefully on November 30, 2020, at St. Francis Home, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.
Mary Loraine was born in Catherine, Kansas, on December 4, 1928, to Anthony Walters and Lidwina Polifka Walters. She was the third oldest in her family of eleven, five girls and six boys. Living through the Kansas Dust Storms with her family taught Mary the importance of working together and gathering for prayer to sustain one other. She believed that these family experiences nurtured her vocation and prepared her for life in religious community.

Feeling a deep sense of belonging to God from an early age, Sister Ann entered St. Agnes Convent in 1943 and made her first profession of vows in the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes on August 15, 1948.

Throughout her life, Sister Ann loved teaching, learning, and offering one-on-one guidance and spiritual support to people of all ages. She received a BS in Education from Marian College, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. She taught for nineteen years in grade schools and high schools in Wisconsin, Kansas, Illinois, and Indiana. In 1967, she earned her MALS in Library Science from Rosary College, River Forest, Illinois. Sister Ann then enjoyed serving as a librarian for nine years in grade schools in Illinois and Indiana and at Beloit Catholic High School, Beloit, Wisconsin.
In 1967, desiring a more contemplative lifestyle, Sister Ann worked at the Renewal Center of the University of Steubenville, Steubenville, Ohio, serving as Director of Retreats and offering counseling part-time. This experience led her to pursue a Certificate of Theological Studies and Spirituality from the Jesuit School of Theology, Berkeley, California, and an MS in Pastoral Counseling from Loyola of Maryland, Baltimore, after which she did retreat ministry at Franciscan Spirituality Center, La Crosse, Wisconsin. Sister Ann then actively engaged in ministries of counseling, spiritual direction, and pastoral care in Wisconsin and Kansas for 39 years. She served in Campus Ministry at Regis University in Denver, Colorado, and at the University of Wisconsin, Oshkosh.

Her summer ministries included directing retreats in Wisconsin at the Jesuit Retreat House, Oshkosh, St. Anthony Retreat House, Marathon, and St. Joseph Retreat House, Baileys Harbor.

In 2004, Sister Ann returned to Fond du Lac, living for a time at the CSA motherhouse and with her sisters at Nazareth Court and Center and St. Francis Home. During this time, she volunteered in ministries of hospitality and wellness in the emergency room at St. Agnes Hospital, the Treffert Center, and St. Francis Home until frail health no longer allowed her to engage in these activities.

Sister Ann was preceded in death by her parents Anthony and Lidwina Walters, her brothers Herbert, Delbert, Marvin, Daniel and Patrick and her sisters Dolores Giebler and Sister Rose Walters, CSA.

She is survived by her brother Thomas and her sisters Catherine Perino and Nettie Kuhn-Verdi, her nieces and nephews, and the Sisters of St. Agnes, with whom she lived, prayed and ministered.

Burial took place on December 2, 2020, at St. Joseph Springs Cemetery, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, a Memorial Mass for Sister Ann will be celebrated on a future date at the Nazareth Center Chapel with Father Ken Smits, Capuchin, presiding.
Memorials can be directed to the CSA Mission Advancement Office, 320 County Road K, Fond du Lac, WI 54937.

The Sisters of St. Agnes are grateful to the nurses and staff of Nazareth Court and Center, St. Francis Home, and Hospice Hope for their care of Sister Ann in her last years of life.

Zacherl Funeral Home is serving the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes

Give a donation in honor of Sister Mary Dennis McMahon.

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Sister Mary Dennis McMahon, CSA, baptized Mary Therese, died peacefully at St. Agnes Hospital, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin on September 22, 2020. 

Mary Therese was born in Chicago, IL, on April 25, 1928, the oldest of five surviving children, four daughters and one son, in the family of Dennis Francis McMahon and Bridie Margaret Guthrie.  When Mary Therese was fifteen, the family sadly lost their mother during childbirth. While she completed high school at Immaculate Conception High School, Elmhurst, IL, Mary Therese helped her father raise her siblings.  With the resourcefulness that characterized her throughout her life, she divided the household responsibilities with her next oldest sister, each one managing the tasks which best suited her ability.

Having sensed a call to religious life early on, she was particularly inspired by the spirit of the Sisters of St. Agnes, her high school teachers.  Mary Therese entered St. Agnes Convent, Fond du Lac, WI, after graduation in 1946 and, as Sister Mary Dennis, made profession of vows in the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes on August 15, 1949.

Her lifelong ministry of education took her to Catholic parish schools in New York, Pennsylvania, Illinois and Indiana. She received her BS in Education from Marian College of Fond du Lac and her MS in Elementary Education from Fordham University, Bronx, NY; she earned numerous post-graduate credits in Administration from Manhattan College, NY, and Catholic University, Washington, DC.  Well-prepared professionally and with a natural gift for administration, Sister dedicated herself to teaching at all grades levels in elementary school and served as principal both in grade school and high school for more than fifty years. From 1980-1982, she served as Associate Superintendent of the Fort Wayne-South diocesan schools. Perhaps the most challenging position, as well as a greatly rewarding one for Sister, was assuming principalship of St. Joseph Elementary School in Chicago in 1988. This school, located near the Cabrini Green public housing units, offered at-risk students a quality education and required total engagement of the staff to accomplish the task. In this final administrative role, Sister’s efforts to develop a space of welcome and belonging for children and their parents were the culmination of a life of leading and learning, of personal investment in the creation of a climate where children, teachers, and staff might grow in becoming their best selves.

Always a community-oriented woman, upon her retirement as an educator in 2001, Sister Mary Dennis remained in Chicago where while living with another Sister of St. Agnes she delighted in providing childcare during the day for two adopted children while their single mother served as principal in a local Catholic school.  In 2005 she moved to Fond du Lac to be a resident at Nazareth Court and Center where she assisted other sisters as she was able and tutored Marian University students until her frail health no longer permitted these volunteer activities.

Sister Mary Dennis was preceded in death by her parents, Dennis Francis McMahon and Bridie Margaret McMahon; her brother Vincent; and her sisters Margaret Frances McMahon, Joan Detloff and Isabelle DaPrato.  She is survived by her nieces and nephews and by the Sisters of St. Agnes, with whom she lived, prayed, and ministered.

Cremation has taken place.  Because of current COVID-19 restrictions, the Liturgy of Christian Burial will be held in private services at Nazareth Court and Center, Fond du Lac, WI, with Father Ken Smits, Capuchin, presiding.  Burial will be in St. Joseph Springs Cemetery, Fond du Lac, WI.

Memorials can be directed to the Sisters of St. Agnes Mission Advancement Office, 320 County Road K, Fond du Lac, WI 54937.

The Sisters of St. Agnes are grateful to the nurses and staff of Nazareth Court and Center who cared for Sister Mary Dennis in her final years, and to all who provided care for her at St. Agnes Hospital.

Zacherl Funeral Home is serving the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes.

Give a donation in honor of Sister Colombiere Revelant.

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Sister Colombiere Revelant, CSA, baptized Stephania, died peacefully June 12, 2020, at St. Francis Home, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

Stephania was born in West Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on December 21, 1914, to Ferdinand Revelant and Domenica Valente Revelant. She was the first of six children including one boy and five girls. Having completed two years at West Milwaukee High School, in August 1931 Stephania entered the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes from her home parish of St. Florian. She received her diploma from St. Agnes High School in 1933. She made her profession of vows as a Sister of St. Agnes on August 15, 1934, with the religious name Sister Colombiere.

Sister attended Oshkosh State Teachers College, then went on to receive a BS in Education from Loyola University Chicago with majors in History and English. Sister ministered in elementary education for 45 years in Illinois, Indiana, New York, and Wisconsin. For 14 of those years, she served simultaneously as teacher and principal in parish schools in Kewaskum and Beloit, Wisconsin, and in New Haven and Fort Wayne, Indiana. From 1954-1959, she was a faculty member at Sacred Heart High School, Yonkers, New York.

Following her retirement from teaching, Sister Colombiere happily returned for 16 years to her roots, St. Florian in West Milwaukee. She helped teachers and tutored students in the school; visited the sick; phoned the elderly of the parish; assisted at St. Florian’s Fund Raisers; enjoyed the company in the 59ers Club with other senior parishioners; and acted as Eucharistic Minister and Lector during the Eucharistic Liturgies. Her enjoyment of these ministries and of daily life was shown by her welcoming manner and helpfulness to others. These characteristics continued when, in full retirement, Sister Colombiere joined the Sisters at Nazareth Court and Center, Fond du Lac, in 2003.

Sister Colombiere was preceded in death by her parents Ferdinand Revelant and Domenica Valente Revelant; her sisters Elsie Inkmann, Mary Light, and Angeline Sadowski.

Sister is survived by her brother Fred Revelant, her sister Carol Woodcock, and the Sisters of St. Agnes, with whom she lived, prayed and ministered.

Because of current COVID-19 restrictions, a Memorial Mass will be held in private services at Nazareth Court and Center, Fond du Lac, WI, with Father Ken Smits, Capuchin, presiding.

Burial took take place on June 16, 2020, at St. Joseph Springs Cemetery.

Memorials can be directed to the CSA Mission Advancement Office, 320 County Road K, Fond du Lac, WI 54937.

The Sisters of St. Agnes are grateful to the nurses and staff of Nazareth Court and Center/St. Francis Home and of Hospice Hope for their care of Sister Colombiere in her last years.

Zacherl Funeral Home is serving the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes.

Give a donation in honor of Sister Ann McKean.

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Sister Ann McKean, CSA, formerly Sister Corona, died peacefully at St. Agnes Hospital, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, on April 11, 2020.

Margaret Ann McKean was born in Adams County, Indiana, on August 1, 1935, to Millard McKean and Margaret Robinson McKean.  Her family included four siblings, one boy and three girls. Sister Ann made her profession of vows in the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes on August 15, 1957, in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. 

Sister received a BA in Education from Marian College of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin; an MA in Theology from Fordham University, New York, New York; and a PhD in Historical Theology from Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee.

Sister was an elementary school teacher for eleven years in Mayville and Fond du Lac, Wisconsin; Des Plaines, Illinois; and East Harlem, Bronx, and Yonkers, New York.  She taught at the university level for four years at the University of Texas, Austin; five years at Sacred Heart Seminary, Hales Corners, Wisconsin; five years at Marian University, Fond du Lac; and in 1988-1989 was a Visiting Professor at St. Norbert College, De Pere, Wisconsin. During more than twenty-five years at Christian Brothers University, Memphis, Tennessee, where she served as Chair of the Religion and Philosophy Department from 1991-1994, Sister Ann taught courses in scripture, religious history, Christian spirituality, science and religion, and world religions. She also taught theology and Scripture in Nicaragua and Honduras during her winter breaks, gave numerous presentations on women in religion and did applied research on the future of religious associates in her own congregation and the broader Church.  Among her other pursuits while in Memphis, Sister Ann took flying lessons, training to become a licensed pilot.

Sister Ann was selected by her religious congregation to attend the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing, China, in 1995, as a UN Observer. She was the founder and first executive director of Adelante Mujer/Advance Woman. This project provides financial support to women in the Caribbean Coastal area of Nicaragua who desire to become doctors and are enrolled in the medical program of URACCAN University in Puerto Cabezas, Nicaragua.  

Sister Ann was preceded in death by her parents Millard McKean and Margaret Robinson McKean, and her brother Roy McKean.

She is survived by her sisters Judith Jones and Janet McKean, her nieces and nephews, and the Sisters of St. Agnes, with whom she lived, prayed and ministered.

Because of current COVID-19 restrictions, a Liturgy of Christian Burial will be held in private services at Nazareth Court and Center, Fond du Lac, WI, with Father Ken Smits, Capuchin, presiding. Burial will take place in St. Joseph Springs Cemetery, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.
Memorials can be directed to the project Sister Ann founded and directed: Adelante Mujer/Advance Woman, 757 S. Main St., Suite 9, Fond du Lac, WI 54935.

The Sisters of St. Agnes are grateful to the nurses and staff of Nazareth Court and Center for their care of Sister Ann in her last years, and to all who provided care for her at St. Agnes Hospital.

Zacherl Funeral Home is serving the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes.

Give a donation in honor of Sister Helen Renzelmann.

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Sister Helen Renzelmann, CSA, formerly known as Sister Gregory, died peacefully March 20, 2020, at Nazareth Center, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

Helen was born March 23, 1921, in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, to Frank B. Renzelmann and Martha Mondloch Renzelmann. She was the oldest in a family of five girls. She entered the Congregation of St. Agnes in 1938 after graduating from Sheboygan High School. She made her profession of vows in the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes on August 15, 1941, with the religious name Sister Gregory.

In 1949 Sister received a BS in Education from Marian College of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. She continued her education, earning an MA in History from Loyola University, Chicago, Illinois. Among her varied post-graduate studies were: Certification as a Newspaper Fund Fellow in 1965 from the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis; an NDEA Fellowship in English in 1968 from Simmons College in Boston, Massachusetts; training sessions in Campus Ministry at Sacred Heart Seminary, Detroit, Michigan; Pastoral Leadership Training Institute, Mary Manse in Toledo, Ohio. Sister Helen engaged in numerous formal learning experiences over the years as she responded to new opportunities to minister among the people of God.

Sister Helen was an elementary teacher for twelve years and a secondary teacher for sixteen years in Wisconsin, New York, Illinois, Indiana, and Pennsylvania. In 1969 she transitioned from teaching into Campus Ministry in Thibodaux, Louisiana, for five years. For the following twenty years she did parish ministry in Kansas, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Arizona, and New Mexico. Upon returning to Fond du Lac, she did grant research and prospect identification in the Marian College Development Department from 1989-1996. Sister Helen then dedicated her energy to volunteer roles in the Fond du Lac community, including at St. Agnes Hospital--Support Services; Fond du Lac Area Information and Referral (FAIR) helping to set up a data base for social services; Family Resource Center; and Fond du Lac Center for Spirituality and Healing. In 2019, Sister Helen became the first recipient of the Spirituality and Healing Award in honor of her fourteen years as volunteer receptionist at the Center.

Sister Helen was preceded in death by her parents Frank and Martha Renzelmann; her sisters Mary Hildegarde Blyth, Barbara Schrimpf, and Rose Ross. At the time of Sister’s death, she was survived by her sister Gertrude Lawrence. Since Gertrude’s death in May 2020, Sister Helen is survived by nieces and nephews, and the Sisters of St. Agnes, with whom she lived, prayed and ministered.
Because of current COVID-19 restrictions, a Memorial Mass will be held in private services at Nazareth Court and Center, Fond du Lac, WI, with Father Ken Smits, Capuchin, presiding.

Burial took place on March 23, 2020, at St. Joseph Springs Cemetery.

Memorials can be directed to the CSA Mission Advancement Office, 320 County Road K, Fond du Lac, WI 54937.

The Sisters of St. Agnes are grateful to the nurses and staff of Nazareth Court and Center and to the staff of Hospice Hope for their care of Sister Helen in the last years of her life.

Zacherl Funeral Home is serving the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes.

Give a donation in honor of Sister Rose Walters.

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Sister Rose Walters, CSA, formerly known as Sister Thomas More, died peacefully on December 15, 2019, at Nazareth Court and Center, Fond du Lac, WI.

Rose was born in Catherine, KS, on October 11, 1933, to Anthony Walters and Lidwina Polifka Walters.  She had four sisters and six brothers.

Having initially attended Girls Catholic High in Hays, KS, Rose entered St. Agnes Convent, Fond du Lac, WI, in 1952, and graduated from St. Agnes High School.  She made her profession of vows in the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes on August 15, 1955.

Sister Rose received a BS in Education from Marian College of Fond du Lac, WI; earned her MS in Education at Fort Hays State University, Hays, KS; and was certified in Pastoral Ministry and Clinical Pastoral Education by St. Louis University, St. Louis, MO.  Throughout her life Sister pursued further education to enhance and broaden her professional preparation. Sister Rose was an elementary school teacher for 25 years in WI, OH, and IN.  She was also Assistant Principal at St. Henry School, Fort Wayne, IN for six years. She ministered as Pastoral Assistant in New Haven, IN; in Parish Administration in New Almelo, KS, for four years; and did Pastoral Ministry at St. Nicholas of Myra Parish in Hays, KS.  She served in Campus Ministry at Kansas State University for six years.  Sister Rose was a Pastoral Minister at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton in Salina, KS, for 19 years.

In 2014 Sister Rose returned to Fond du Lac where she energetically engaged in numerous opportunities to volunteer.  She offered the gift of presence, building personal relationships and encouraging people as they experienced times of critical need. Sister’s heart was drawn to those who were poor or marginalized.  Her volunteer ministries included: tutor for Fond du Lac Adult Literacy Program; facilitator and mentor in the Getting Ahead Program sponsored by the St. Vincent De Paul Society; and spiritual care volunteer at Hospice Home of Hope.  On a lighter side, Sister Rose was a devoted fan of her sports teams, the Kansas University Jayhawks, the Kansas City Chiefs and the St. Louis Cardinals.

Sister Rose was preceded in death by her parents Anthony and Lidwina Walters; her brothers Herbert, Delbert, Marvin, Daniel, Patrick; and her sister Dolores Giebler.

She is survived by her brother Thomas; her sisters Catherine Perino, Nettie Kuhn-Berdi and Sister Ann Walters, CSA; her nieces and nephews; and the Sisters of St. Agnes, with whom she lived, prayed and ministered.

Cremation has taken place.  There will be a Prayer Service on Thursday, January 9, at 11:00 a.m. at Nazareth Court and Center Chapel, 375 Gillett Street, Fond du Lac, WI.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Thursday, January 9, at 2:00 p.m. at St. Francis Home Chapel, 33 Everett Street, Fond du Lac, WI.  The presider will be Father Ken Smits, Capuchin.  Burial will take place at St. Catherine Cemetery, Catherine, KS, at a date to be determined.

Memorials can be directed to the CSA Mission Advancement Office, 320 County Road K, Fond du Lac, WI 54937.

The Sisters of St. Agnes are grateful to the nurses and staff of Nazareth Court and Center, and to the staff of Hospice Hope, for their care of Sister Rose in the past months.

Zacherl Funeral Home is serving the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes.

Give a donation in honor of Sister Rebecca Endres.

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Sister Rebecca Endres, CSA, baptized Mary Bernadette, died peacefully October 26, 2019, at St. Francis Home, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. Her family and the Sisters were at her side during the last days of her life.

Mary was born on the family farm in Waunakee, Wisconsin, on August 16, 1927, to Aloysius Endres and Monica Schwab Endres. A farming family, the Endres children included eight girls and four boys.

Mary entered St. Agnes Convent on August 29, 1942, having attended St. Mary’s Springs Academy for her freshman year. She completed her high school education at St. Agnes High School, Fond du Lac.  Sister Rebecca made her profession of vows in the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes on August 15, 1946. In 1969 Sister received a BS in Education from Marian College of Fond du Lac.  She went on to earn a Master’s in Religious Education in 1976 from St. Meinrad College, Indiana.  Throughout her life, she continued to take post-graduate courses in theology. 

Sister Rebecca ministered in education for 54 years as elementary school teacher, elementary school principal, religious education director and teacher, and tutor.  She was also a member of the Foster Grandparent Program from 1990-1998.  After her years as educator, Sister ministered in pastoral care at St. Agnes Hospital and the Central Wisconsin Cancer Center from 1998 until she became a resident at Nazareth Court and Center in 2016.

Sister Rebecca was preceded in death by her parents Aloysius Endres and Monica Schwab Endres; her brothers Leo, Aloysius, Matthias and John Endres; her sisters Cyrilla Dahmen, Rutilla Paar, Sister Yvonne Endres, CSA, Dolores Ganser, Monica Statz, Lillian Archer, and Sister Marie Endres, CSA.

Sister Rebecca is survived by her many faithful nieces and nephews, and the Sisters of St. Agnes, with whom she lived, prayed and ministered.

Visitation for Sister Rebecca Endres will be Thursday, October 31, 2019, at 9:00 in Nazareth Court and Center, 375 Gillett Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.  A prayer service will take place that day at 11:00 a.m.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered October 31, 2019, at 2:00 p.m., at St. Francis Home Chapel, 33 Everett Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. Father Ken Smits, Capuchin, will be the presider.  Burial will be at a later date in St. John’s Church Cemetery, Waunakee, Wisconsin.

Memorials can be directed to the Sisters of St. Agnes Mission Advancement Office, 320 County Road K, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin 54937.

The Sisters of St. Agnes are grateful to the nurses and staff of Nazareth Court and Center/St. Francis Home and to Hospice Hope for their care of Sister Rebecca in her last years.

Zacherl Funeral Home is serving the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes.

Give a donation in honor of Sister Colette Hartman.

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Sister Colette (Donald Marie/María) Hartman died on August 8, 2019 in Managua, Nicaragua.

Sister Colette Hartman, CSA, formerly Sister Donald Marie Hartman, was born in Altoona, Pennsylvania, on July 31, 1928. She entered St. Agnes Convent in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, and pronounced her first vows in the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes on August 15, 1950. Sister Colette received a bachelor’s degree from Marian College and her master’s degree in education from Marquette University.

From 1950 to 1962 she served as an elementary school teacher in Watertown, Fond du Lac, and Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and in Elmhurst, Illinois.  In 1962, Sister Colette was sent to Managua, Nicaragua, where she served as a teacher and missionary for the rest of her life. Sister Colette is remembered for her great passion for the poor and for the promotion of human rights and the dignity of those with whom she lived and served.

Her last ministry was at CANTERA, a center in Managua for promoting education, growth and development among the people, where she was fondly known as Sister María to the Nicaraguans she served.

At the age of 91, with 57 of those years having been lived in Nicaragua, Sister Colette became a light that will continue to accompany us and illuminate our path in the process of continuing to build a more just world.

Visitation was held at CANTERA in Managua on Friday, August 9, 2019 with funeral honors and Mass of Christian Burial on August 10. Burial followed in the Central Cemetery of Managua.

“I believe that the village will have what it needs and that the Nicaraguan people are fighters and always find some way to be happy; they always find a reason to laugh, to dance – they love life and only need work to prosper.”

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Sister Marie Endres, CSA, baptized Emma Walburga, died peacefully July 11, 2019, at St. Francis Home, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. 

Emma Endres was born in Waunakee, Wisconsin, on October 26, 1923, to Aloysius Leo Endres and Monica Schwab Endres.  She was the eighth child in a family of twelve, including eight girls and four boys. Farming was the family business.

Emma entered St. Agnes Convent in 1938 and, as Sister Marie, made her profession of vows in the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes on August 15, 1943.  Sister Marie received a BS in Education from Marian College of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, in 1957. She then earned an MEd, with an emphasis on reading, from Marquette University, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and an MRE in Religious Education from St. Meinrad School of Theology, St. Meinrad, Indiana.

Sister Marie was dedicated to the education ministry throughout her life.  She taught primary grades for 40 years in Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, and Pennsylvania. For a total of 14 of those years, she was a teaching principal: at St. Mary, Eden, Wisconsin; St. Lawrence, Muncie, Indiana; and St. Mary, Nanty Glo, Pennsylvania. Sister served for 10 years as the receptionist in the main office at St. Mary’s Springs High School. When she retired from full-time roles in school, she volunteered as a foster grandparent at St. Patrick and St. Joseph Schools, Fond du Lac for 16 years. In 2013 Sister Marie became a resident at Nazareth Court and Center.

Sister Marie Endres was preceded in death by her parents Aloysius Leo Endres and Monica Schwab Endres; her brothers Leo, Aloysius, Matthias, and John; her sisters Rutilla Paar, Cyrilla Dahmen, Sister Yvonne Endres, CSA, Dolores Ganser, Monica Statz and Lillian Acker.

Sister is survived by her sister, Sister Rebecca Endres, CSA; her many nieces, nephews, other relatives; and the Sisters of St. Agnes, with whom she lived, prayed and ministered.

Visitation for Sister Marie Endres will be on Friday, July 19, 2019, at 9:00 a.m., at Nazareth Court and Center, 375 Gillett Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.  A prayer service will be held July 19, at 11:00 a.m., at Nazareth Court and Center Chapel.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Friday, July 19, 2019, at 2 p.m., at St. Francis Home Chapel, 33 Everett Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.  Father Ken Smits, Capuchin, will be the presider.  Additional services and burial will take place at St. John the Baptist Church, Waunakee, Wisconsin.

Memorials can be directed to the Sisters of St. Agnes Mission Advancement Office, 320 County Road K, Fond du Lac, WI 54937.

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Sister Annette Herr, CSA, formerly Sister Mary Michael, died peacefully June 28, 2019, at St. Francis Home, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

Annette was born in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, on January 2, 1930, to George Herr and Amalia Rammer Herr. She had two siblings, a brother Richard and a sister Rosemary.

Annette attended North High School in Sheboygan for two years. She entered St. Agnes Convent in 1945, continued her studies, and graduated from St. Agnes High School, Fond du Lac. She made her first profession of vows in the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes on August 15, 1949, as Sister Mary Michael. Sister was initially a student at Marian College of Fond du Lac; she later enrolled at St. Louis College of Pharmacy in St. Louis, Missouri, and received a BS in Pharmacy. She regularly updated her professional knowledge through classes and conferences related to pharmacy. In 1972, she earned her MA in Theology from St. Mary University, San Antonio, Texas.

Sister Annette ministered first as an elementary teacher at St. Mary’s School, Ellis, Kansas, and at St. Patrick’s School, Hudson, Wisconsin. Her interest in medicine and healthcare led her to help part-time at St. Agnes Hospital pharmacy for several years while attending summer school at Marian College and, ultimately, to complete her bachelor’s degree in pharmacy. Her ministry as a pharmacist continued for 42 years in hospitals in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin; Hays, Kansas; San Antonio, Texas; and Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Sister Annette was an active member in professional societies and was elected to several leadership positions by her peers in those organizations.

In San Antonio, Sister Annette served not only as a staff pharmacist and faculty practitioner in a teaching hospital, but also as a mentor sharing values and skills with less-experienced pharmacists at a County facility dedicated to care of impoverished clients. In addition to her professional engagement, she also shared her faith and gifts through volunteering as a parish catechist and Eucharistic minister for years at St. Joseph Parish, Hays, KS; St. Paul Parish, San Antonio, TX; and St. Florian Parish, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Preceding Sister Annette in death are her parents George Herr and Amalia Rammer Herr and her brother Richard Herr. Sister Annette is survived by her sister Rosemary Thomas, nieces and nephews, and the Sisters of St. Agnes, with whom she lived, prayed and ministered.

Cremation has taken place. A Prayer Service will be held Monday, July 8, 2019, at 11:00 a.m., in Nazareth Court and Center Chapel, 375 Gillett Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held Monday, July 8, 2019, at 2:00 p.m., at St. Francis Home Chapel, 33 Everett Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. Fr. Ken Smits, Capuchin, will be the presider. Burial will follow at St. Joseph Springs Cemetery.

Memorials can be directed to the Sisters of St. Agnes Mission Advancement Office, 320 County Road K, Fond du Lac, WI 54937.

The Sisters of St. Agnes are grateful to the nurses and staff of Nazareth Court and Center/St. Francis Home and Hospice Hope for their care of Sister Annette in her last years.

Zacherl Funeral Home is serving the Sisters of the Congregation of St. Agnes.

Give a donation in honor of Sister Paul Ann Dinkel.

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Sister Paul Ann, CSA, (Agnese Dinkel) died peacefully on June 1, 2019, at Nazareth Center, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

Agnese was born in Victoria, Kansas, on October 12, 1933, to Frank M. Dinkel and Rosa Hertel Dinkel. Her family included 10 girls and 5 boys.

In 1951, Agnese entered St. Agnes Convent, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. She made her profession of vows in the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes on August 15, 1954, with the religious name Sister Paul Ann. One of her sisters and one brother also entered religious life: Sister Francis Rose, CSA, and Father Harvey, OFM Cap.

Sister received a license in dietary service from M.P.T.I. in Fond du Lac and a Baking Certificate from New York Restaurant School where she took classes in culinary arts. Sister was a homemaker in CSA convents for 23 years in Kansas, Indiana, Wisconsin, and New York. She spent two years at St. Anthony’s Hospital, Hays, Kansas, and served at The Leo House in New York City, New York, from 1985 to 1996, working in dietary and food services at both institutions. Sister Paul Ann was on the staff of the Food Service Department at St. John’s New Horizons and St. John’s Assisted Living in Hays, Kansas, from 1996 to 2006. In her last years in Hays, Kansas, she offered a ministry of presence to the staff and students at TMP-Marian High School.

Sister was preceded in death by her parents Frank M. Dinkel and Rosa (Hertel) Dinkel; her brothers Clarence, Ed and Hilarius; her sisters Julitta Dechant, Bertha Prewo, Melinda Griebel, Rita Rohr, Regina Dechant, Irene Scruggs, and Sister Francis Rose.

Sister Paul Ann is survived by her brothers George Dinkel and Father Harvey Dinkel; her sisters Viola Richmeier and Mary Younker; and the Sisters of St. Agnes with whom she lived, prayed and ministered. Visitation for Sister Paul Ann will be held on Wednesday, June 5, 2019, beginning at 9:00 a.m. at Nazareth Court and Center, 375 Gillett Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. A Prayer Service will be held that same day at 11:00 a.m. at Nazareth Center Chapel.

A Mass of Christian Burial will take place on June 5, 2019, at 2:00 p.m. at St. Francis Home Chapel, 33 Everett Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. Father Ken Smits, Capuchin, will preside at the liturgy. Additional services and burial will be held at St. Fidelis Parish and Cemetery, Victoria, Kansas. Memorials may be directed to the Sisters of St. Agnes Mission Advancement Office, 320 County Road K, Fond du Lac, WI 54937.

The Sisters of St. Agnes are grateful to the nurses and staff of Nazareth Court and Center, and the staff of Hospice Hope, for their care of Sister Paul Ann Dinkel in her last years.

Zacherl Funeral Home is serving the Sisters of the Congregation of St. Agnes

Give a donation in honor of Sister Martha Kretschmer.

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Sister Martha Kretschmer, CSA, formerly Sister Albert Marie, died peacefully on May 28, 2019, at St. Francis Home in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

Martha was born in New Munster, Wisconsin, on October 22, 1930, to John Kretschmer and Louisa Epping Kretschmer. Her family included five boys and five girls.

Martha entered St. Agnes Convent in 1945 and graduated from St. Agnes High School in 1948. She made her first profession of vows in the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes on August 15, 1950, with the religious name Sister Albert Marie.

Sister Martha received a BS in Education from Marian College in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, and an MA in Elementary Education and Administration from St. Louis University, St. Louis, Missouri. Sister Martha was a teacher for 37 years and a teacher-principal for 12 years during that time in Illinois, Wisconsin and Indiana. She continued to serve as principal for 11 more years in Indiana and Pennsylvania. In 1994 Sister Martha received the Light of Learning Award as an outstanding teacher of the year in the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend, Indiana.

After completing her years in educational ministry, she worked for seven years at St. Bernard Parish, Madison, Wisconsin, making pastoral visits to the elderly. In 2005 when she retired to Nazareth Court in Fond du Lac, she assisted as a seamstress in the sisters’ sewing room.

Sister Martha was preceded in death by her parents John and Louisa Kretschmer; her brothers Joseph, Arthur, Father Albert, S.V.D, and Henry; her sisters Agnes Kerkman, Mary Richter and Rose Kretschmer.

Sister Martha is survived by her brother Edmund Kretschmer, her sister Armella Rossmiller, her nieces and nephews, and the Sisters of St. Agnes with whom she lived, prayed and ministered.

Visitation for Sister Martha Kretschmer will begin at 9:00 a.m. Monday, June 3, 2019, at Nazareth Court and Center, 375 Gillett Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. There will also be a prayer service at 11:00 a.m. on the same day.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be on Monday, June 3, 2019, at 2:00 p.m. in St. Francis Home Chapel, 33 Everett Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. The presider will be Father Ken Smits, Capuchin. Burial will follow at St. Joseph Springs Cemetery.

Memorials may be directed to the Sisters of St. Agnes Development Office, 320 County Road K, Fond du Lac, WI 54937.

The Sisters of St. Agnes are grateful to the nurses and staff of Nazareth Court and Center/St. Francis Home and Hospice Hope for their care of Sister Martha in her last years.

Zacherl Funeral Home is serving the Sisters of the Congregation of St. Agnes.

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Sister Martina Kuhn, CSA, formerly Sister Frederick, died peacefully May 20, 2019, at St. Francis Home in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

Martina was born in Ellis, Kansas, on January 2, 1924, to Fred Kuhn and Catherine Befort Kuhn. One of six children, she had four sisters and one brother.

Martina entered St. Agnes Convent, Fond du Lac, from Antonino, Kansas, in August 1939. As Sister Frederick, she made her first profession of vows in the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes on August 15, 1943.

For 32 years she ministered as a homemaker for the Sisters of St. Agnes at a number of their mission houses in Wisconsin and New York. Sister Martina worked for two years in the dietary kitchen at St. Clare Hospital, Monroe, Wisconsin. She was food supervisor for one year at St. John’s Rest Home, Victoria, Kansas.

In the remaining years of her active ministry, Sister Martina helped those in need in a variety of ways. She served as a teacher aide, school office worker, library aide and tutor. She enrolled at St. Catherine College, St. Paul, Minnesota, during the academic year 1982-83 and received a certificate in pastoral ministry at the completion of the program. She was engaged in pastoral work at St. Fidelis Parish, St. Anthony Hospital, and Valley Hope Treatment Center—all in the Hays area.

In retirement Sister Martina found opportunities to volunteer her service and presence, including: St. Clare Terrace reception desk and Beacon House in Fond du Lac; Mary Elizabeth Maternity Home and the Community Assistance Center, Hays, Kansas.

Sister Martina was preceded in death by her parents Fred and Catherine Kuhn, her sisters Henrietta Wasinger, Bertha Dodd, Adeline Dreher, Loretta Pfannenstiel and her brother Alfred Kuhn.

She is survived by her nieces and nephews and the Sisters of St. Agnes, with whom she lived, prayed and ministered.

Cremation has taken place. There will be a prayer service for Sister Martina at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, May 28, 2019, at Nazareth Court and Center, 375 Gillett Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

A Mass of Christian Burial will take place at St. Francis Home Chapel, 33 Everett Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, on Tuesday, May 28, 2019, at 2:00 p.m. Father Ken Smits, Capuchin, will preside. Burial will follow at St. Joseph Springs Cemetery.

Memorials can be directed to the Sisters of St. Agnes Mission Advancement Office, 320 County Road K, Fond du Lac, WI 54937.

The Sisters of St. Agnes are grateful to the nurses and staff of Nazareth Court and Center/St. Francis Home and the staff of Hospice Hope for their care of Sister Martina in her last years.

Zacherl Funeral Home is serving the Sisters of the Congregation of St. Agnes.

Give a donation in honor of Sister Gonzaga Hron.

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Sister Gonzaga (Louise LaVern) Hron died on March 20, 2019, at St. Agnes Hospital.

Louise was born in West Bend, Wisconsin, on June 7, 1945, to Lloyd R. and Florence C. Gonnering Hron. She was the second of a family of five children. She attended grade school at Holy Trinity School in Kewaskum, Wisconsin, where she was taught by the Sisters of St Agnes. Louise graduated from Kewaskum Community High School. She attended Marian College of Fond du Lac for two years, working each summer as a secretary at Regal Ware in Kewaskum.

In 1965 she entered the Sisters of St Agnes and also continued her studies at Marian College. She professed vows as a Sister of St. Agnes on August 15,1968, with the religious name Sister Gonzaga.

She graduated from Marian College in 1968 with a BA in Biology and Math. A licensed secondary school teacher, Sister Gonzaga taught for 10 years at St. Mary Springs High School, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin; Beloit Catholic High School, Beloit, Wisconsin; and Immaculate Conception High School, Elmhurst, Illinois.

After transitioning out of the field of education, Sister Gonzaga’s passion was to serve others through cooking. Sister Gonzaga ministered for many years in dietary services at large residences of the congregation such as Nazareth Heights Infirmary and Boyle Apostolic Center. She was generous in offering her skill and experiences, together with other Sisters, to prepare festive meals for special occasions often baking and creating fabulously decorated cakes. Sister Gonzaga’s other love was care for Earth: preservation of natural resources, restoration of prairies and beautifying areas that all could enjoy.

Sister Gonzaga was preceded in death by her parents Lloyd Hron and Florence Gonnering Hron, her brother Lloyd, Jr., and her brother-in-law Ronald Ruplinger.

She is survived by her sisters Sheila (Richard) Whiting, Monica (Leo) Lettow and Ann Ruplinger; her nieces, nephews and their families; many friends and the Sisters of St Agnes with whom she lived, prayed and ministered.

Cremation has taken place. A Mass of Christian Burial will take place on Monday, April 1, 2019, at 2:30pm in St. Francis Home Chapel, 33 Everett Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. The presider will be Father Ken Smits, Capuchin. Burial will follow at St. Joseph Springs Cemetery.

Memorials can be directed to the CSA Mission Advancement Office, 320 County Road K, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

The Sisters of St. Agnes are grateful for the physicians and staff at St. Agnes Hospital who provided care for Sister Gonzaga.

Zacherl Funeral Home is serving the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes

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Sister Mary Hornung, CSA, baptized Marilyn Hornung, died peacefully January 25, 2019, at St. Francis Home in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

Marilyn was born in Sauk City, WI, on March 13, 1934, to Edgar Hornung and Verna Guethlein Hornung.

Marilyn was an only child. Marilyn entered St. Agnes Convent in 1953 and attended St. Agnes High School, receiving a diploma in 1955. Sister Mary made her profession of vows in the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes on August 15, 1957.

Sister Mary received a BS in Education from Marian College of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, and an MS in Education Administration from Marygrove College, Detroit, Michigan. Throughout her life, Sister Mary was committed to ongoing professional development in elementary and religious education as well as in pastoral ministry.

Having taught at all grade levels in elementary schools for 23 years, Sister Mary served as a principal for an additional 11 years. Following her years of service in parish schools in WI and OH, Sister Mary was a Director of Religious Education from 1991-2004 in Beloit, Madison and Port Washington, Wisconsin. Until her retirement in 2011, Sister Mary was involved in pastoral services at St. Andrew Parish, Verona, Wisconsin.

Sister Mary was preceded in death by her parents Edgar and Verna Hornung. Sister Mary is survived by cousins, friends and the Sisters of St. Agnes, with whom she lived, prayed and ministered.

Visitation for Sister Mary Hornung will be held January 30, 2019, beginning at 9:00 a.m. at Nazareth Court and Center, 375 Gillett Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. A prayer service will take place at 11:00 a.m. at Nazareth Center Chapel.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be at 2:15 p.m. on January 30, 2019, at St. Francis Home Chapel, 33 Everett Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. Father Ken Smits, Capuchin, will preside. Burial will take place at a later date at St. Joseph Springs Cemetery, Fond du Lac.

Memorials can be directed to the Sisters of St. Agnes Mission Advancement Office, 320 County Road K, Fond du Lac, WI 54937.

The Sisters of St. Agnes are grateful to the nurses and staff of Nazareth Court and Center/St. Francis Home and the staff of Hospice Hope for their care of Sister Mary in her last years.

Zacherl Funeral Home is serving the Congregation of St. Agnes

Give a donation in honor of Sister Barbara Rose Miskelly.

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Barbara Rose Miskelly, CSA, baptized Kathleen Mary, died peacefully November 29, 2018, at St. Francis Home, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. Kathleen was born in Evanston, IL, on October 23, 1933, to Robert F. Miskelly and Catherine Sheridan Miskelly. There were three siblings: Robert, Barbara, and Kathleen.

Kathleen entered St. Agnes Convent in 1947. She attended St. Agnes High School, graduating in 1950. Sister Barbara Rose made her first profession of vows in the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes on August 15, 1952. Sister received a BS in Elementary Education, with a major in social studies, from Marian College of Fond du Lac in 1962. She went on to earn an MS in Elementary Education from Marygrove College, Detroit, Michigan, in 1974. During the 70s and 80s she continued advancing her education, earning credits in religion and school administration.

Sister Barbara Rose ministered as a teacher for 32 years in Yonkers, New York; in Two Rivers, Fond du Lac, Wauwatosa, and North Fond du Lac, Wisconsin; and in Bensenville, Illinois. She became the administrator at St. Charles Borromeo School in Bensenville and ministered there for 22 years. When she retired from the field of education, she volunteered at the Elmhurst Memorial Hospital gift shop and as an office assistant for the apartments where she lived.

Sister Barbara Rose was preceded in death by her parents Robert and Catherine Miskelly, her brother Robert, and her sister Barbara Knickerbocker. She is survived by her nieces and nephews and the Sisters of St. Agnes, with whom she lived, prayed and ministered.

Visitation for Sister Barbara Rose will be on Tuesday, December 4, starting at 9:00 a.m. in Nazareth Court and Center, 375 Gillett Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. A prayer service will follow at 11:00 a.m.

A Mass of Christian Burial will take place at 2:00 p.m., on December 4, 2018, at St. Francis Home Chapel, 33 Everett Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. Father Ken Smits, Capuchin, will preside. Burial will follow at St. Joseph Springs Cemetery.

Memorials can be directed to the Sisters of St. Agnes Development Office, 320 County Road K, Fond du Lac, WI 54937. The Sisters of St. Agnes are grateful to the nurses and staff of Nazareth Court and Center/St. Francis Home and Hospice Hope for their care of Sister Barbara Rose in her last years.

Zacherl Funeral Home is serving the Sisters of the Congregation of St. Agnes.

Give a donation in honor of Sister Kathleen Schmitz.

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Sister Kathleen Schmitz, CSA, formerly known as Sister David Gerard, died peacefully on November 22, 2018, at Nazareth Court and Center Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

Kathleen was born in Brothertown, Wisconsin, on August 4, 1936, to Ambrose Schmitz and Esther Andrew Schmitz. The family later moved to Marytown where Kathleen, her two sisters, and a brother attended St. Mary Grade School.

Following her graduation from New Holstein High School in 1955, Kathleen entered St. Agnes Convent, Fond du Lac. On August 15, 1958, she made first profession of vows in the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes as Sister David Gerard.

Sister Kathleen ministered as a homemaker for 28 years with the sisters living in Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, and New York. She often was part of a team of sisters who were responsible for food preparation in the large CSA institutions: St. Mary’s Springs Academy, Nazareth Heights Infirmary, and Boyle Apostolic Center in Fond du Lac; Immaculate Conception, Elmhurst, Illinois; and Sacred Heart, Yonkers, New York. She also worked in the dietary department at Mary Hill Retirement Home in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, for six years. Sister ministered for 14 years in Food Service at The Leo House, New York City, where her baking skill was a welcome addition for sisters and guests alike. When Sister Kathleen retired and returned to Fond du Lac in 2006, she volunteered with Hospice Hope, was a Eucharistic Minister at the hospital, helped at Salvatorian Center in St. Nazianz, and baked occasionally for the Fondy Food Pantry.

Over the years Sister enriched her life through various courses, receiving certificates in Dietary Administration for Food Service Managers, St. Louis University; Church and Sacraments, Marian College of Fond du Lac; Spiritual Development Program, School of Spirituality, Yonkers; and Ministry with Older Adults, Marymount Manhattan College, New York City.

Sister Kathleen was preceded in death by her parents and her brother Willard Schmitz.

She is survived by her sisters Mary Alice Schleicher and Elizabeth Karls and by the Sisters of St. Agnes, with whom she lived, prayed and ministered.

Visitation for Sister Kathleen Schmitz will be on November 30, 2018, starting at 9:00 a.m. in Nazareth Court and Center, 375 Gillett Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. A prayer service will follow at 11:00 a.m.

A Mass of Christian Burial will take place at 2:00 p.m., on November 30, 2018, in St. Francis Home Chapel, 33 Everett Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. Father Ken Smits, Capuchin, will preside. Burial will follow at St. Joseph Springs Cemetery.

Memorials can be directed to the Sisters of St. Agnes Development Office, 320 County Road K, Fond du Lac, WI 54937.

The Sisters of St. Agnes are grateful to the nurses and staff of Nazareth Court and Center and Hospice Hope for their care of Sister Kathleen in her last years.

Zacherl Funeral Home is serving the Sisters of the Congregation of St. Agnes

Give a donation in honor of Sister Michaela O’Brien.

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Sister Michaela O’Brien, CSA, baptized Mary Ellen O’Brien, died October 17, 2018, at St. Francis Home, Fond du Lac, WI.

Mary Ellen was born in Eden, WI, on January 15, 1920, to James H. O’Brien and Estelle Stack O’Brien. The family of seven included three boys and four girls.

Mary Ellen graduated from St. Mary’s Springs Academy in 1936. She received a BS in Physical Education and Social Studies from UW-La Crosse in 1941.

In 1943 Mary Ellen entered St. Agnes Convent. She made profession of vows as Sister Michaela in the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes on August 15, 1946.

She attended Marian College during her years of religious formation, studying theology, English, math and education. In her early years of teaching, she enrolled in summer courses such as drama, physics and chemistry at Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI. In 1958 Sister earned an MS in Education from Marquette with a major in guidance. She furthered her professional education at various colleges through courses in secondary school administration, physics and Scripture.

Sister Michaela taught at St. Mary Springs, Fond du Lac, in a total of five different academic disciplines, for 21 years beginning in 1946. She was an assistant administrator and teacher at Beloit Catholic High School from 1967-1971. She was also appointed to several roles of service within the congregation: director of the aspirancy for ten years; vocation director for 15 years; apostolic councilor for secondary education for eight years. She completed her long life in ministry where she began it, returning to St. Mary Springs in 1979. For more than 30 years, she continued to support her alma mater, assuming various staff and volunteer positions, including assistant administrator, guidance counselor, alumni director and assistant in the archives.

Sister Michaela exemplified in her personal life qualities she encouraged in her students ~ faith, commitment, discipline, excellence, loyalty, concern for others and perseverance.

Sister Michaela was preceded in death by her parents James H. O’Brien and Estelle Stack O’Brien; her brothers Thomas O’Brien and James O’Brien; and her sisters Florence Flood, Helen Gellings, and Alice Michels.

She is survived by her brother Patrick O’Brien, many devoted nieces and nephews, other relatives, friends, colleagues, and the Sisters of St. Agnes, with whom she lived, prayed and ministered.

Visitation for Sister Michaela O’Brien will be held at Holy Family Church, 271 Fourth Street Way, Fond du Lac, WI, on October 25, from 2:00 - 4:00 p.m.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at Holy Family Church, 271 Fourth Street Way, Fond du Lac, WI, on Thursday, October 25, 2018, at 4:00 p.m. The presider will be Father Ken Smits, Capuchin. Burial will be in St. Joseph Springs Cemetery at a later date. Memorials can be directed to the Sisters of St. Agnes Development Office, 320 County Road K, Fond du Lac, WI 54937.

The Sisters of St. Agnes are grateful to the nurses and staff of Nazareth Court and Center/St. Francis Home and the staff of Hospice Hope for their care of Sister Michaela in her last years.

Zacherl Funeral Home is serving the Sisters of the Congregation of St. Agnes.

Give a donation in honor of Sister Mary Albert Flynn.

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Sister Mary Albert Flynn, CSA, baptized Patricia Flynn, died peacefully October 16, 2018, at Nazareth Court and Center, Fond du Lac, WI.

Patricia Flynn was born in Yonkers, NY, on October 22, 1933, to Albert Flynn and Mary Terry Flynn. Her family included a brother Robert and a sister Betty.

Patricia entered St. Agnes Convent in 1951 following her graduation from Sacred Heart High School in Yonkers, NY. She made her profession of vows as Sister Mary Albert in the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes on August 15, 1954.

Sister Mary Albert received a BS in Education from Marian College of Fond du Lac, WI, in 1959. She received an MA in Education, with a minor in history, from Marygrove College, Detroit, MI, in 1973. She also did post graduate study at Fordham University, Bronx, NY; St. Francis College, Fort Wayne, IN; and Mount Mary College, Milwaukee, WI.

Sister Mary Albert ministered throughout her life in the field of education. She taught upper elementary and junior high school students for 50 years in parish schools in Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, and New York. In her final eight years at Holy Family School, Bronx, Sister was a fulltime tutor for students in need of special help. During 2004 she cared for her father who was in frail health. She retired to Fond du Lac in 2005, residing at St. Agnes Convent and volunteering until she moved to assisted living at Nazareth Court and Center.

Sister was a quiet person who enjoyed learning of all kinds; she delighted to see students become involved in their own education and advance to challenging high schools. A favorite pastime for Sister was creating handicrafts, especially in preparation for the Christmas season. She would often donate her work to groups that raised funds for charitable causes.

Sister Mary Albert was preceded in death by her parents Albert Flynn and Mary Terry Flynn and her sister Betty Canzio. She is survived by her brother Robert Flynn, nieces, and the Sisters of St. Agnes, with whom she lived, prayed and ministered.

Visitation for Sister Mary Albert will be held at Nazareth Court and Center, 375 Gillett Street, Fond du Lac, WI, on Friday, October 26, beginning at 9:00 a.m., followed by a Prayer Service at 11:00 a.m. in Nazareth Center Chapel.

A Liturgy of Christian Burial will be held at 2:30 p.m. on Friday, October 26, 2018, at St. Francis Home Chapel, 33 Everett Street, Fond du Lac, WI. Father Ken Smits, Capuchin, will be the presider. Burial will follow at a later date in St. Joseph Springs Cemetery.

Memorials can be directed to the Sisters of St. Agnes Development Office, 320 County Road K, Fond du Lac, WI 54937.

The Sisters of St. Agnes are grateful to the nurses and staff of Nazareth Court and Center and Hospice Hope for their care of Sister Mary Albert in her last years.

Zacherl Funeral Home is serving the Sisters of the Congregation of St. Agnes.

Give a donation in honor of Sister Mary Jane Wipperfurth.

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Sister Mary Jane Wipperfurth, CSA, formerly Sister Anthony, died peacefully October 10, 2018, at Nazareth Court and Center, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

Mary Jane was born to Anton Wipperfurth and Christine Spahn Wipperfurth on August 30, 1927, in Waunakee, Wisconsin. She was one of six children, three girls and three boys.

Mary Jane entered St. Agnes Convent in 1942. She made her first profession of vows in the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Agnes as Sister Anthony on August 15, 1946. She ministered for 40 years as a homemaker at missions of the congregation in Wisconsin, Indiana, New York, and Illinois. All of Sister’s assignments took her to large institutions staffed by CSA, including St. Mary’s Springs Academy, St. Agnes Hospital, Boyle Home for the Aged, and St. Agnes Convent. In those settings, she worked as part of a team of other sisters to provide dietary services not only for the sisters there but also for students, patients and residents of the respective institutions — a demanding challenge which she accepted in a spirit of loving service. She also served for 12 years in the laundry at Nazareth Heights Infirmary, home for the retired sisters.

Sister loved to cook and to keep things looking clean and in order. She enjoyed embroidery and spending time visiting the sick and elderly. While at Nazareth Court and Center, she took special care of the many plants throughout the building. Sister was a gentle, helpful and friendly person. Her lovely smile reflected the serenity and gratitude with which she accepted daily life.

Sister Mary Jane was preceded in death by her parents Anton Wipperfurth and Christine Spahn Wipperfurth; her brother Anthony; and her sister Joan Statz. She is survived by her brothers Russell Wipperfurth and Leroy Wipperfurth; her sister Lorraine Schlimgen; nieces and nephews; and the Sisters of St. Agnes, with whom she lived, prayed and ministered.

Visitation for Sister Mary Jane will be held at Nazareth Court and Center, 375 Gillett Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, on Monday, October 15, beginning at 9:00 a.m., followed by a Prayer Service at 11:00 a.m.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 2:30 p.m. on Monday, October 15, 2018, at St. Francis Home Chapel, 33 Everett Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. Father Ken Smits, Capuchin, will be the presider. Burial will follow at St. Joseph Springs Cemetery.

Memorials can be directed to the Sisters of St. Agnes Development Office, 320 County Road K, Fond du Lac, WI 54937.

The Sisters of St. Agnes are grateful to the nurses and staff of Nazareth Court and Center and Hospice Hope for their care of Sister Mary Jane in her last years.

Zacherl Funeral Home is serving the Sisters of the Congregation of St. Agnes.

Give a donation in honor of Sister Mary Lee Spielbauer.

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Sister Mary Lee Spielbauer, CSA, baptized Catherine Audrey Spielbauer, died peacefully Sunday, September 30, 2018, at St. Francis Home.

Catherine Audrey was born in Cudahy, Wisconsin, on September 4, 1923, to Leo Spielbauer and Mary Vander Loop Spielbauer. She was one of eleven children, nine boys and two girls.

She attended South Milwaukee High School for three years then, having moved, graduated from Menasha High in 1941. After working several years in a factory, Catherine joined the Cadet Nursing Corps since nurses were in short supply. In 1944 she entered St. Agnes School of Nursing, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, receiving her diploma in 1947. She worked for a year at St. Agnes Hospital before moving to Chicago. She worked full-time there as an operating room nurse while studying for a degree in nursing at Loyola University. Catherine returned to Fond du Lac to complete her studies, earning her BS in Nursing Education from Marian College in 1954.

She entered St. Agnes Convent in 1956 and made her profession of vows in the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes on August 15, 1958, as Sister Mary Lee. She ministered as a nurse for sixteen years at St. Agnes Hospital, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin; St. Thomas Hospital, Colby, Kansas; and St. Clare Hospital, Monroe, Wisconsin. Sister continued to take courses throughout her life to keep updated in nursing and in theology. In 1974 she joined the Marian College Nursing Division serving as a Clinical Instructor in various professional areas. She completed her ministry at Marian in the role of College Health Nurse.

After retiring from nursing in 1990, Sister Mary Lee did community service at St. Agnes Convent. She assisted in the congregation’s archives until 2002, contributing her organizational skill, attention to detail and appreciation of history. She also volunteered among the sisters at Nazareth Court and Center. Sister Mary Lee had many talents and interests in life. She enjoyed baking, knitting, quilting, painting and other types of art work, to name a few.

Sister Mary Lee was preceded in death by her parents Leo Spielbauer and Mary Vanderloop Spielbauer, her brothers Edgar, Robert, Donald, Richard, Norman, Marvin, and twins John and Mike who died at birth. Sister is survived by her brother Leroy Spielbauer, her sister Carol Konetzke, and the Sisters of St. Agnes, with whom she lived, prayed and ministered.

Visitation for Sister Mary Lee will be at Nazareth Court and Center, 375 Gillett Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, on Friday, October 5, 2018, beginning at 9:00 a.m. A prayer service will follow in Nazareth Center Chapel at 11:00 a.m.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be at St. Francis Home Chapel, 33 Everett Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, on Friday, October 5, 2018, at 2:00 p.m. The presider will be Father Ken Smits, Capuchin. Burial will follow at St. Joseph Springs Cemetery.

Memorials can be directed to the Sisters of St. Agnes Development Office, 320 County Road K, Fond du Lac, WI 54937.

The Sisters of St. Agnes are grateful to the nurses and staff of Nazareth Court and Center/St. Francis Home and Hospice Hope for their care of Sister Mary Lee in her last years.

Zacherl Funeral Home is serving the Sisters of the Congregation of St. Agnes.

Give a donation in honor of Sister Teresita Inés Argüello.

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Sister Teresita Inés Argüello, CSA, Victoria Argüello Hernandez, died peacefully on September 20, 2018, at St. Francis Home.

Victoria was born in Bluefields, Nicaragua, on December 23, 1925. She was an only child whose mother died when Victoria was very young. She was adopted into the family of Jose Inocente Argüello and had a stepbrother, Pedro Jose Gonzalez. She was educated by the Divina Pastora Sisters in Bluefields and for several years did clerical work in her home town.

Drawn by news that missionary sisters had arrived in 1945 to serve on Nicaragua’s Atlantic Coast, she was one of the first two Nicaraguan women to join the pioneer community of Sisters of St. Agnes at Waspam in June 1948. Victoria continued her religious formation at St. Agnes Convent in Fond du Lac, WI, from 1949-1951. She made her profession of vows in the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes on August 15, 1951, as Sister Teresita Inés.

After returning to Nicaragua in 1951, Sister taught primary students and was a catechist for 26 years in Managua, Puerto Cabezas, Rosita and Waspam. Regular mission trips to the villages along the Coco River always held a special place in Sister’s heart. The second half of Sister’s ministry was devoted to pastoral service, including visiting the sick, leading prayer groups, and offering a caring presence to those in need. She enjoyed needlework, macrame and weaving, and she instructed women who were interested in learning those skills. After celebrating 50 years as a religious in Nicaragua, Sister Teresita became a resident of Nazareth Center in Fond du Lac in 2001. During the last four years of her life, she resided at St. Francis Home.

Sister Teresita Inés was the last living member of her family. She is survived by the Sisters of St. Agnes, with whom she lived, prayed and ministered.

Visitation for Sister Teresita Inés will be held at Nazareth Court and Center, 375 Gillett Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, on Thursday, September 27, beginning at 9:00 a.m., followed by a Prayer Service at 11:00 a.m.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, September 27, 2018, at St. Francis Home Chapel, 33 Everett Street, Fond dü Lac, Wisconsin. Father Ken Smits, Capuchin, will preside. Burial will follow at St. Joseph Springs Cemetery.

Memorials can be directed to the Sisters of St. Agnes Development Office, 320 County Road K, Fond du Lac, WI 54937.

The Sisters of St. Agnes are grateful to the nurses and staff of Nazareth Court and Center/St. Francis Home, and Hospice Hope, for their care of Sister Teresita in her last years.

Zacherl Funeral Home is serving the Sisters of the Congregation of St. Agnes.

Give a donation in honor of Sister Rita Little.

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Sister Rita Little, CSA, formerly Sister Mary Robert, died peacefully August 29, 2018, at St. Francis Home, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

Rita was born in West Allis, Wisconsin, on September 5, 1926, to Robert J. Little and Mary Olive Biersack Little. Her mother died early in Rita’s life, leaving Robert with three girls under the age of five years. Rita always expressed gratitude to her aunt, uncle and their two girls who opened their home to Robert and his daughters. They thrived there, and the girls grew up as one close-knit family.

Rita entered St. Agnes Convent in 1941 as a high school student. She made her profession of vows in the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes as Sister Mary Robert on August 15, 1945. She received a BS in Education from Marian College of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, and an MEd in Administration and Supervision from Marquette University, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She kept current professionally through varied post-graduate courses.

Sister Rita spent the greater part of her life in the ministry of education: as a teacher in parish schools in Indiana, Ohio, and Wisconsin for 15 years; as a teaching principal in WI for 12 years; as school administrator in Kansas, New York, and Wisconsin for another 15 years. Wisconsin schools where Sister Rita served include: Brother Dutton, Beloit; Presentation, North Fond du Lac; St. Mary’s and Sacred Heart, Fond du Lac; St. Luke, Two Rivers; Holy Trinity, Kewaskum; St. Mary Help of Christians, West Allis; and St. Florian, Milwaukee. Sister was also a member of the Marian College education department faculty for two years. Having served the congregation as local coordinator of St. Agnes Convent from 1990-1994, Sister Rita retired from formal roles in education. She then enjoyed her years as part of the Foster Grandparent Program at Evans School, Fond du Lac.

Sister Rita was preceded in death by her parents Robert J. Little and Mary Olive Biersack Little and by her sisters Margaret Thorsen, Beatrice Little, and Johanna Sem. She is survived by her sister Mary Ann (Marie) Neuwald, nieces, nephews, cousins and the Sisters of St. Agnes, with whom she lived, prayed and ministered.

A Prayer Service for Sister Rita Little will be held on September 6, 2018, at 11:00 a.m. in Nazareth Court and Center Chapel, 375 Gillett Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

A Mass of Christian Burial with cremated remains present will take place on September 6, 2018, at 2:00 p.m. in St. Francis Home Chapel, 33 Everett Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. Father Ken Smits, Capuchin, will be the presider. Burial will follow at St. Joseph Springs Cemetery.

Memorials can be directed to the Sisters of St. Agnes Development Office, 320 County Road K, Fond du Lac, WI 54937.

The Sisters of St. Agnes are grateful to the nurses and staff of Nazareth Court and Center/St. Francis Home for their care of Sister Rita in her last years and to the staff of Hospice Hope.

Zacherl Funeral Home is serving the Sisters of the Congregation of St. Agnes

Give a donation in honor of Sister Vivian Schmidtberger.

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Sister Vivian Schmidtberger, CSA, formerly Sister Catherine Siena, died peacefully July 5, 2018, at St. Agnes Hospital, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

Vivian was born in Victoria, Kansas, on May 10, 1929, to Alphonse Schmidtberger and Clara Graf Schmidtberger. Her family included eight girls and four boys.

Having graduated in 1947 from St. Fidelis High School, Victoria, Kansas, she entered St. Agnes Convent in January 1949. Sister Vivian made her profession of vows in the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes on August 15, 1951.

Sister Vivian received a BS in Education from Marian College of Fond du Lac and earned a Master’s in Christian Spirituality from Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska. Sister Vivian taught in elementary schools in Indiana and Wisconsin before serving from 1960-1970 as a missionary in Managua, Puerto Cabezas, Rosita and Waspam, Nicaragua, as well as in Quito, Ecuador. Upon returning to the United States, she took time apart from CSA and taught bilingual education for nine years in the Milwaukee public school system. After re-entering the congregation, she assisted for a year in the Hispanic ministry sponsored through St. Louis Parish in Fond du Lac. Sister Vivian returned to Nicaragua in 1984 serving first in pastoral ministry in Bele n, Rivas, followed by seven years devoted to the formation of young Nicaraguan women preparing to enter the congregation. La Ceiba, Honduras, was Sister Vivian’s home during her final seventeen years as a missionary. The Women’s Center established in La Ceiba in 1995 is an enduring legacy to Sister’s commitment to the empowerment of women. Sister Vivian returned to the United States, becoming a resident of Nazareth Court and Center in 2010.

Sister Vivian was preceded in death by her parents Alphonse Schmidtberger and Clara (Graf) Schmidtberger; her brothers Linus Schmidtberger and Michael Schmidtberger; her sisters Hermina Roth, Angelita Schmidtberger, Hubertine Schultz and Mary Schmidtberger.

Sister Vivian is survived by her brothers Robert Schmidtberger and Marvin Schmidtberger; her sisters Albertine Foos, Edna Ptacek and Rosalyn Leiker, and the Sisters of St. Agnes, with whom she lived, prayed and ministered.

Visitation for Sister Vivian will be Thursday, July 12, 2018, at 1:00 p.m. in Nazareth Court and Center, 375 Gillett Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be on July 12, 2018, at 2:00 p.m. in St. Francis Home Chapel, 33 Everett Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. The presider will be Father Ken Smits, Capuchin. Burial will follow at St. Joseph Springs Cemetery.

Memorials can be directed to the Sisters of St. Agnes Development Office, 320 County Road K, Fond du Lac, WI 54937.

The Sisters of St. Agnes are grateful to the nurses and staff of Nazareth Court and Center/St. Francis Home for their care of Sister Vivian in her last years and to the staff of St. Agnes Hospital.

Zacherl Funeral Home is serving the Sisters of the Congregation of St. Agnes.

Give a donation in honor of Sister Patricia Scanlan.

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Sister Patricia Scanlan, CSA, formerly known as Sister Malachy, died peacefully May 16, 2018, at St. Francis Home.

Patricia was born in Riverdale, New York, on March 27, 1933, to William Scanlan and Irene Magill Scanlan. She was raised in a family of six, including two boys and four girls.

Patricia entered St. Agnes Convent in 1950 after graduating from Sacred Heart High School in Yonkers, New York. She made her profession of vows as Sister Malachy in the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes on August 15, 1953.

She received a BS in Education from Marian College of Fond du Lac in 1962. Over the years which followed, Sister Patricia took numerous theology courses and earned an MA in Theology from Manhattan College, Bronx, New York. She also received a Certificate in Youth Ministry from Douglaston Seminary in Long Island, New York.

Sister Patricia was a teacher for 36 years. Having taught most grade levels in the elementary schools served by the congregation in Wisconsin, Michigan, Indiana, New York, and Kansas, she also participated in religious education programs in the parishes wherever she lived. At St. Mary’s Springs, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, and at Marian High, Hays, Kansas, Sister Patricia was a religion teacher as well as a physical education instructor and coach.

She worked in the Youth and Aged Ministry Office at Sacred Heart Parish, Yonkers, New York. As a member of LAMP Catholic Ministries of New York, Sister Patricia was assigned to St. Joseph Parish, Yonkers, New York, where she did Parish Evangelization and was Pastoral Associate. Service in LAMP was energizing and thoroughly engaging for her.

Sister Patricia Scanlan was preceded in death by her parents William Scanlan and Irene Magill Scanlan; her brothers William (Bill) Scanlan and John (Jack) Scanlan; and her sisters Joan Dugandzic and Anne Lynch.

She is survived by her sister Gerry Lou O’Connor, her nieces and nephews, and the Sisters of St. Agnes, with whom she lived, prayed and ministered.

Visitation for Sister Patricia Scanlan will take place May 25, 2018, beginning at 9:00 a.m. in Nazareth Court and Center, 375 Gillett Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. A prayer service will be held on May 25, 2018, at 11:00 a.m. in the Nazareth Center Chapel.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be on May 25, 2018, in St. Francis Home Chapel, 33 Everett Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, at 2:00 p.m. Father Ken Smits, Capuchin, will be the presider. Burial will follow at St. Joseph Springs Cemetery.

Memorials can be directed to the Sisters of St. Agnes Development Office, 320 County Road K, Fond du Lac, WI 54937.

The Sisters of St. Agnes are grateful to the nurses and staff of Nazareth Court and Center/St. Francis Home, and the staff of Hospice Hope, for their care of Sister Patricia in her last year. Zacherl Funeral Home is serving the Sisters of the Congregation of St. Agnes.

Give a donation in honor of Sister Mary Neff.

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Sister Mary Neff, CSA, baptized Matilda Cecilia Neff, and formerly known as Sister Mary Donald, died peacefully on April 9, 2018, at St. Francis Home, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

Matilda Neff was born in Altoona, Pennsylvania, on November 13, 1927, to William Neff and Anna Zauner Neff. Her family included one boy and seven girls. Matilda attended Altoona Catholic High School for two years. She entered St. Agnes Convent, Fond du Lac, and graduated from St. Agnes High School in 1944. She made profession of vows in the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes on August 15, 1947, as Sister Mary Donald.

Sister Mary received a BA in Art/Art Ed from Mount Mary College, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and earned an MA in Art from Notre Dame University, South Bend, Indiana. She did post-graduate studies in counseling at Fort Hays State College, Hays, Kansas, and received a certificate in pastoral counseling from Cardinal Meyer Institute, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She continued to enhance her professional credentials through a variety of courses in art and counseling over the years

Sister was a first-grade teacher in Wisconsin and Minnesota for 16 years; while on the faculty at St. Florian School, Milwaukee, she was an illustrator for children’s educational materials for the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. She taught art at Marian High School, Hays, Kansas, and at St. Francis Seminary, Victoria, Kansas, for eight years. During the 60s and 70s, Sister Mary ministered within CSA, assuming various roles in the formation of young women preparing for religious life.

A Marian College faculty member for 23 years, Sister Mary was Assistant Professor of Art and Director of the Art Department. She played an active part in college and community organizations. She contributed her gifts in numerous ways: judging art exhibits; leading art workshops; designing logos, signage, publications and cards for individuals and events; promoting Marian’s Heritage Festival of the Arts from its beginning. She was awarded the James R. Underkofler Excellence in Teaching Award in 1992, was awarded Professor Emerita by the Marian College Board of Trustees in 1995 and was among the recipients of the first annual Windy Award in 2001. After retiring from Marian College, Sister Mary gave private lessons in drawing, painting and calligraphy at her Mariart Studio.

Sister Mary was preceded in death by her parents William Neff and Anna Neff; her brother William Neff; her sisters Cleopha Neff, Madeline Neff, Walburga O’Neill, Gertrude Neff, Alma Duman and Mary Pressler. She is survived by her nieces, nephews, and the Sisters of St. Agnes with whom she lived, prayed and ministered.

There is no visitation. Burial took place on April 12, 2018, at St. Joseph Springs Cemetery. A Prayer Service will be held on April 19, 2018, at 11:00 a.m. in Nazareth Center Chapel, 375 Gillett Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

A Memorial Mass will be held on April 19, 2018, at 2:15 p.m. in St. Francis Home Chapel, 33 Everett Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. Father Ken Smits, Capuchin, will be the presider.

Memorials can be directed to the Sisters of St. Agnes Development Office, 320 County Road K, Fond du Lac, WI 54937.

The Sisters of St. Agnes are grateful to the nurses and staff of Nazareth Court and Center/St. Francis Home, and the staff of Hospice Hope, for their care of Sister Mary Neff in the last years of her life.

Zacherl Funeral Home is serving the Sisters of the Congregation of St. Agnes.

Give a donation in honor of Sister Germaine Lichtle.

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Sister Germaine Lichtle, CSA, baptized Mary Helen Lichtle, died peacefully on April 7, 2018, at St. Francis Home, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

Mary Helen Lichtle was born in Decatur, Indiana, on February 21, 1923, to Frank Lichtle and Viola Ulman. She was the second youngest child in a family of three girls and four boys. Orphaned at age seven, after the deaths of both parents within a short time span, Mary Helen lived in turn with her maternal grandparents, her sister Margaret and family, and with her brother Adrian and his wife. The family always remained close, and Sister Germaine was grateful throughout life for the blessing of her good home full of faith, love and care.

After graduation from Decatur Catholic High School, Mary Helen entered St. Agnes Convent in Fond du Lac. She made first profession of vows as Sister Germaine in the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes on August 15, 1944. Sister Germaine received a BS in Education from Marian College of Fond du Lac in 1952 and an MA in Business Education from the College of St. Rose, Albany, New York, in 1964. Sister kept up-todate professionally through numerous post-graduate courses. In later years she became certified as a Retirement Planning Specialist for Religious through the Center for Ministry Transition, Ballwin, Missouri.

Sister taught in the elementary grades for eleven years in Indiana and Kansas. She taught business classes in secondary schools for 34 years in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and New York. For six years, she was an adjunct instructor in business education at Marian College, while serving as the local coordinator for the retired sisters at Boyle Apostolic Center in Fond du Lac. After completing her ministry as a classroom teacher, she became a member of the Foster Grandmother Program and tutored in the Learning Resource Center at St. Mary’s Springs Academy for 17 years, until she became a resident of Nazareth Court and Center. Among her companions at the Nazareth campus, she generously contributed her talents as a seamstress and her gift of hospitality.

Sister Germaine was recognized for her service in the field of education at Sacred Heart High School, Yonkers, New York, being inducted into its Hall of Fame in 1995. She received the St. Joseph Volunteer of the Year Award at the St. Mary’s Springs Benefactors Recognition in May 2009.

Sister Germaine was preceded in death by her parents Frank and Viola Lichtle; her half-brother Tom Lichtle; brothers Adrian Lichtle, Francis Lichtle, and an infant; her sisters Margaret Meyer, and Catherine Kaehr. She is survived by many loving nieces and nephews, and the Sisters of St. Agnes, with whom she lived, prayed and ministered.

Visitation for Sister Germaine Lichtle will be held on Wednesday, April 11, at 2:00 p.m., at Nazareth Court and Center, 375 Gillett Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. A prayer service will take place at Nazareth Center Chapel at 4:00 p.m., April 11.

A Mass of Christian Burial is scheduled for April 12, 2018, at 9:45 a.m., at St. Francis Home Chapel, 33 Everett Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. Father Ken Smits, Capuchin, will be the presider. Burial will follow at St. Joseph Springs Cemetery.

Memorials can be directed to the Sisters of St. Agnes Development Office, 320 County Road K, Fond du Lac, WI 54937.

The Sisters of St. Agnes are grateful to the nurses and staff of Nazareth Court and Center/St. Francis Home and the staff of Hospice Hope for their care of Sister Germaine in her last years.

Zacherl Funeral Home is serving the Sisters of the Congregation of St. Agnes

Give a donation in honor of Sister Rose Kreuzer.

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Sister Rose Kreuzer, CSA, formerly Sister M. Joseph Rose, died peacefully on November 29, 2017, at St. Francis Home.

Rose Kreuzer was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on April 24, 1922, to Joseph H. Kreuzer and Rose L. Stromberg Kreuzer. She was one of a family of ten and the only girl. Rose graduated from Messmer High School, Milwaukee. After her mother’s early death, Rose held a job and shared the responsibility for raising her brothers.

In 1955, she attended St. Agnes School of Nursing in Fond du Lac and one year later entered St. Agnes Convent in Fond du Lac. She made her profession of vows in the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes on August 15, 1959.

Sister Rose received a BA in Sociology and Business Administration from Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska, and an MSW in Clinical Social Work from St. Louis University, St. Louis, Missouri. During Sister’s first nine years of service in the congregation, she worked in turn as director of purchasing at St. Agnes Hospital, Fond du Lac, and in medical records at St. Clare Hospital in Monroe, Wisconsin. She later was a clinical social worker for three years and director of materials management for six years at St. Agnes Hospital. Sister Rose also was employed at Marian College for seven years as Assistant to the Academic Dean and Assistant to the Vice-President for Academic Affairs. In retirement, Sister Rose used her organizational skills, attention to detail and interest in history while working part-time with special projects and archives at St. Mary’s Springs and St. Agnes Hospital. Sister Rose pursued her avocation as an avid and excellent photographer for many years. She particularly enjoyed photographing natural beauty and delighted in creating and sharing her “Roseprints”~greeting cards and framed art designed with her photos.

Sister Rose was preceded in death by her parents Joseph H. and Rose L. Kreuzer, and her brothers Joseph C., George A., Raymond M., William F., Bernard J., Rev. Eugene T., Theodore J., Paul J., and Robert F. Kreuzer.

Sister Rose is survived by her nieces and nephews and the Sisters of St. Agnes, with whom she lived, prayed and ministered.

Visitation for Sister Rose will be December 4, 2017, at 9:00 a.m. in Nazareth Court and Center, 375 Gillett Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. A prayer service will be held at 11:00 a.m. in the Nazareth Center Chapel. A Mass of Christian Burial will take place on December 4, 2017, at 1:30 p.m. in St. Francis Home Chapel, 33 Everett Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. Father Ken Smits, Capuchin, will be the presider. Burial will follow at St. Joseph Springs Cemetery. Memorials can be directed to the Sisters of St. Agnes Development Office, 320 County Road K, Fond du Lac, WI 54937.

The Sisters of St. Agnes are grateful to the nurses and staff of Nazareth Court and Center/St. Francis Home for their care of Sister Rose in her last years.

Zacherl Funeral Home is serving the Sisters of the Congregation of St. Agnes

Give a donation in honor of Sister Margaretta Ehrlich.

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Sister Margaretta Ehrlich, CSA, baptized Mary Ehrlich, died peacefully on November 23, 2017, at St. Francis Home with her sister at her side.

Mary was born in Indianapolis, Indiana, on June 13, 1924, to Louis Ehrlich and Henrietta Schuck Ehrlich. She was one of nine children, five boys and four girls.

Having graduated from high school in Muncie, Indiana, in 1942, Mary entered St. Agnes Convent in Fond du Lac. She made profession of vows in the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes as Sister Margaretta on August 15, 1945. Sister Margaretta received a Bachelor in Music Education degree from Alverno College, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and a Master in Music degree from Catholic University, Washington, D.C.

Sister’s whole life was wrapped in music, as a classroom instructor at the elementary, secondary and college levels; director of choral groups; piano teacher; parish organist; organist and choir director at St. Agnes Convent. Her places of ministry included Evanston, Illinois; Decatur and Fort Wayne, Indiana; West Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Of her 54 years devoted to music education, half were spent in Fond du Lac; Sister taught music at St. Mary’s Springs Academy for 5 years and was an instructor of music at Marian College for 22 years. Sister Margaretta understood the power of music to touch the human spirit, cultivated her own musical giftedness, and devoted her life’s work to inviting students to value the arts, especially music.

Sister Margaretta was preceded in death by her parents Louis and Henrietta Ehrlich; her brothers Raymond, Leon, Richard and Robert Ehrlich and her sister Marjorie Harty; and also by three sisters-in-law and two brothers-in-law.

Sister Margaretta is survived by William Ehrlich, Elizabeth Anderson, and Sister Rose Clare Ehrlich, CSA, and the Sisters of St. Agnes, with whom she lived, prayed and ministered. Visitation for Sister Margaretta Ehrlich will be on Tuesday, November 28, 2017, at 9:00 a.m. in Nazareth Court and Center, 375 Gillett Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. A prayer service will take place at 11:00 a.m. in the chapel at Nazareth Center.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 2:00 p.m. on November 28 in St. Francis Home Chapel, 33 Everett Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. The presider will be Father Ken Smits, OFM Cap. Burial will follow at St. Joseph Springs Cemetery.

Memorials can be directed to the Sisters of St. Agnes Development Office, 320 County Road K, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin 54937.

The Sisters of St. Agnes are grateful to the nurses and staff of Nazareth Court and Center/St. Francis Home for their care of Sister Margaretta in her last years.

Zacherl Funeral Home is serving the Sisters of the Congregation of St. Agnes.

Give a donation in honor of Sister Francis Assisi Pielmeier.

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Sister Francis Assisi, CSA, Catherine Helen Pielmeier, died peacefully October 25, 2017, at Nazareth Center, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

Catherine Pielmeier was born in Altoona, Pennsylvania, on January 28, 1919, to Joseph George Pielmeier and Frances Steinbeiser Pielmeier. She was one of six children including one boy and five girls. She attended one year of high school in Altoona, then entered St. Agnes Convent, Fond du Lac, in 1934; she received her diploma from St. Agnes High School.

Sister Francis Assisi made her first profession of vows in the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes on August 15, 1938. She received a BS in Education from Marian College of Fond du Lac in 1944. Sister furthered her education at Catholic University of America, Washington, DC, earning an MA in Education and Psychology in 1946, and a PhD in Education in 1950. She received a Professional Catechist Certificate from the Archdiocese of Mobile, Alabama, in 1990.

Sister taught for five years at St. Mary’s Grade School in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, prior to pursuing graduate studies. Beginning in 1948, Sister Francis Assisi devoted thirty years to leadership in teacher education at Marian College. She was a professor of education, director of teacher education and supervisor of student teaching. While instructing aspiring teachers in courses such as elementary curriculum, methodology, children’s literature, and educational psychology, she encouraged and inspired them to develop the art of education through their professional roles. She valued creativity, literature and the arts in the curriculum. She wrote a children’s fiction story; was the author of a history textbook and an editor for a textbook company; and for eight years, contributed poetry, stories and a weekly column to a publication for primary students. She initiated a Catholic Young Writers’ Club for elementary students in the early 1950s.

Sister Francis Assisi was involved in civic community action programs as a board member of the Fond du Lac Area Economic Opportunity Committee, Inc.; she was a founding member when the Economic Opportunity Office became ADVOCAP, Inc. Sister was elected president of the 33-member ADVOCAP board of directors in 1971 and again in 1973.

Sister served as a general council member for the congregation from 1969-1973.

In 1978, Sister turned her focus to leadership in religious education. She worked for one year in St. Augustine Parish, Tucson, Arizona, then accepted the position of Consultant for Religious Education in the schools and parish catechetical programs of the Diocese of Joliet, IL., for six years. From 1986-1998, she continued a similar ministry as Associate Director of Religious Education for the Montgomery Deanery, in the Diocese of Mobile, Alabama. She continued to reside in Montgomery and served as she could in various religious formation programs of St. Jude Parish in the City of St. Jude before retiring to Nazareth Center in 2004.

Sister Francis Assisi was preceded in death by her parents Joseph Pielmeier and Frances Steinbeiser Pielmeier; her brother Joseph; and sisters Frances, Rita Samarzija, Rosemarie Gerhart, and Clara Karl. Sister is survived by her nieces and nephews and the Sisters of St. Agnes, with whom she lived, prayed and ministered.

Visitation for Sister Francis Assisi will be on November 3, 2017, beginning at 9:00 a.m. in Nazareth Court and Center, 375 Gillett Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. A prayer service will be held at 11:00 a.m. in the Center Chapel.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be on November 3, 2017, at 2:00 p.m. in St. Francis Home Chapel, 33 Everett Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. Father Ken Smits, Capuchin, will be the presider. Burial will follow at St. Joseph Springs Cemetery.

Memorials can be directed to the Sisters of St. Agnes Development Office, 320 County Road K, Fond du Lac, WI, 54937.

The Sisters of St. Agnes are grateful to the nurses and staffs of Nazareth Court and Center and Hospice Hope for their care of Sister Francis Assisi in her last years.

Zacherl Funeral Home is serving the Sisters of the Congregation of St. Agnes.

Give a donation in honor of Sister Thomas Ann Reynolds.

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Sister Thomas Ann Reynolds, CSA, baptized Mary Rita Reynolds, died peacefully on October 21, 2017, at St. Francis Home in Fond du Lac, WI.

Mary Rita was born in Bronx, New York, on September 7, 1922, to Francis Reynolds and Annie Hunter Reynolds. She was one of ten children including seven boys and three girls. Having worked for several years after her graduation from Cathedral High School in Manhattan, she entered St. Agnes Convent, Fond du Lac, in 1949. Sister Thomas Ann made her profession of vows in the Congregation of St. Agnes on August 15, 1951.

She received a BS in Education from Marian College of Fond du Lac and taught in elementary schools for 37 years in Wisconsin, Illinois, Pennsylvania, and New York. After her many years in the classroom, Sister continued in the school setting for eight years, doing office work and helping with physical education for pre-k and kindergarten students. Later, she volunteered at The Leo House in New York City and at St. Columba and Guardian Angel Schools for another eight years.

Sister Thomas Ann had a warm, outgoing personality. She appreciated the humor in life and enjoyed entertaining others in the person of her clown character named STAR. An avid walker, she logged numerous miles while taking in the sights and sounds of the sidewalks of New York. Sister was preceded in death by her parents Francis and Annie Reynolds; her brothers John, Joseph, James, Thomas, Harry, William, and Francis; and her sister Katherine Reynolds. She is survived by her sister Florence Dwyer and the Sisters of St. Agnes, with whom she lived, prayed and ministered.

Visitation for Sister Thomas Ann will be on October 30, 2017, beginning at 9:00 a.m. at Nazareth Court and Center, 375 Gillett Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, followed by a prayer service at 11:00 a.m.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 2:00 p.m. on October 30, 2017, in St. Francis Home Chapel, 33 Everett Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. The presider at the funeral liturgy will be Father Ken Smits, Capuchin. Burial will follow at St. Joseph Springs Cemetery.

Memorials can be directed to the Sisters of St. Agnes Development Office, 320 County Road K, Fond du Lac, WI 54937.

The Sisters of St. Agnes are grateful to the nurses and staff of Nazareth Court and Center/St. Francis Home for their care of Sister Thomas Ann in her last years.

Zacherl Funeral Home is serving the Sisters of the Congregation of St. Agnes.

Give a donation in honor of Sister Agnes Kircher.

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Sister Agnes Kircher, CSA, formerly known as Sister Joseph Gerard, died peacefully on October 5, 2017, at Nazareth Center, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

Agnes was born in Bronx, New York, on April 20, 1933, to Michael Kircher and Caroline Vogler Kircher. She had four brothers and five sisters.

Sister Agnes made her first profession of vows in the Congregation of St. Agnes on August 15, 1953. She received a BS in Education from Marian College of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, earned an MEd in Curriculum Direction from De Paul University, Chicago, and became a Certified Chaplain in 1988.

Sister Agnes was a grade school teacher for 27 years in Illinois, Ohio, Kansas, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and New York. In 1981-82 she served as principal at Sacred Heart School, Fond du Lac. Her years in the field of education completed, she did pastoral ministry to the elderly and infirm, AIDS ministry, pastoral care and hospital chaplaincy in a variety of settings in Kansas and Wisconsin. She was chaplain at the Monroe Clinic, Monroe, Wisconsin, from 1993-2003.

Having retired to Fond du Lac, she assisted in the sewing room at Nazareth Court and Center, was sacristan and excelled at creating decorations for the worship space. Sister Agnes freely shared her artistic talents with others through drawings and calligraphy. She also liked to share witty stories.

Preceding Sister Agnes in death were her parents Michael and Caroline Kircher; her brothers Michael, Joseph, James, and Richard; and her sisters Caroline Pecoroni, Mary Schultz, Theresa Brunner, Dorothy Martino, and Anna May Costello.

Sister Agnes is survived by her nieces and nephews, many friends and the Sisters of St. Agnes, with whom she lived, prayed and ministered.

A committal service and burial took place at St. Joseph Springs Cemetery on October 6, 2017. A Memorial Mass for Sister Agnes will be held on Saturday, October 14, 2017, at 2:00 p.m. in St. Francis Home Chapel, 33 Everett Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. Father Ken Smits, Capuchin, will be the presider.

Memorials can be directed to the Sisters of St. Agnes Development Office, 320 County Road K, Fond du Lac, WI 54937.

The Sisters of St. Agnes are grateful to the nurses and staff of Nazareth Court and Center, and the staff of Hospice Hope, for their care of Sister Agnes in her last months.

Zacherl Funeral Home is serving the Sisters of the Congregation of St. Agnes.

Give a donation in honor of Sister Clare Haman.

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Sister Clare Haman, CSA, formerly known as Sister Harriet, died peacefully on Thursday, July 27, 2017, at St. Francis Home.

Sister Clare was born in Tiffin, Ohio on August 24, 1923, to John Haman and Agnes Trausch Haman. She had 3 brothers and 3 sisters.

Sister Clare entered St. Agnes Convent in 1937 and made her first profession of vows on August 15, 1942. She received a BS in Education from Marian College of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, an MA in Education from Catholic University in Washington, D.C., a Certificate in Social Doctrine from Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and a certificate from the Theology Institute of the University of Albuquerque, New Mexico. To keep current with her varied ministries, Sister participated in workshops and courses in Spanish, pastoral ministry, and Native American culture.

Sister Clare was a teacher for 31 years and principal for 5 years in Wisconsin, Kansas, and Indiana. For many years she welcomed student teachers to her classroom at St. Mary’s School in Fond du Lac. She became a Religious Education Director and a Pastoral Minister for 19 years in Arizona, California, and New Mexico, especially cherishing her time on the Gila River Reservation. Later she served part-time as a primary reading tutor in New York and Arizona for 3 years. Sister Clare volunteered for 6 years in a senior center gift shop in Tucson, Arizona, and served as a greeter in the front lobby of the Fond du Lac Regional Clinic. She enjoyed visiting with people.

Sister Clare was preceded in death by her parents John and Agnes Haman, her brothers Paul Haman, John Haman and Charles Haman; her sisters Louise Akers, Mary Peters, and Dorothy Maher. Sister Clare is survived by her nieces and nephews and the Sisters of St. Agnes, with whom she lived, prayed and ministered.

Visitation for Sister Clare Haman will begin at 9 a.m. on Friday, August 4, 2017, at Nazareth Court and Center, 375 Gillett Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. A prayer service will begin at 11:00 a.m. in Nazareth Court and Center Chapel.

The Liturgy of Christian Burial will be at 2:00 p.m., in St. Francis Home Chapel, 33 Everett Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, on August 4, 2017. Father Ken Smits, Capuchin, will be the presider. The burial will follow at St. Joseph Springs Cemetery.

Memorials can be directed to the Sisters of St. Agnes Development Office, 320 County Road K, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin 54937.

The Sisters of St. Agnes are grateful to the nurses and staff of Nazareth Court and Center, and to Hospice Hope, for their care of Sister Clare in her last years.

Zacherl Funeral Home is serving the Sisters of the Congregation of St. Agnes.

Give a donation in honor of Sister Mary Mollison.

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Sister Mary Mollison, CSA, died peacefully on June 30, 2017, at Hospice Home of Hope, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

Mary Jean Mollison was born November 2, 1946, in Niles, Michigan, the fourth child and only daughter of Andrew R. and Eva Blatz Mollison. A member of St. Mary’s Immaculate Conception Parish in Niles, she graduated from the parish elementary school in 1960. She graduated with honors from St. Joseph High School, South Bend, Indiana, in 1964. She received a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from Marian College of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, in 1969. She later earned a Master of Science in Nursing degree from the University of WisconsinMadison as well as a Master of Arts in Theology from Felician University in New Jersey.

Mary entered the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes, Fond du Lac, in September 1966. She made first profession of vows on August 15, 1969. Sister Mary was a staff nurse, supervising nurse, and vice-president of nursing while serving at St. Agnes Hospital, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, St. Clare Hospital, Monroe, Wisconsin, and St. Anthony Hospital, Hays, Kansas, from 1969-1982. Sister Mary was CSA Corporate Director of Sponsorship for eleven years. She was elected by the Sisters of St. Agnes to leadership for the congregation first as general vicar, then as general superior of CSA. While leading the congregation, Sister Mary continued to encourage partnering and lay leadership among CSA sponsored organizations, innovative approaches to delivery of healthcare services, and networking and collaboration wherever possible. Following her service as general superior of CSA, Sister Mary continued to have an integral role in Leadership Conference of Women Religious and international organizations which promoted the mission of women religious into the future and those which addressed urgent issues for Catholic healthcare.

Sister Mary was preceded in death by her parents Andrew R. and Eva Blatz Mollison and her brother Andrew R. Mollison, Jr. She is survived by her brothers and sisters-in-law: James J. and Germaine Mollison, Thomas R. and Patty Mollison, all of Niles, MI, and Charlene Mollison; one niece and eight nephews; other relatives and friends; numerous former colleagues and the Sisters of St. Agnes with whom she lived, prayed and ministered.

Visitation: The Sisters of St. Agnes and the Mollison family will receive those who wish to pay their respects on Monday, July 10, 2017, at Holy Family Catholic Church, 271 Fourth Street Way, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, beginning at 2:00 p.m. until the time of service.

Service: A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Monday, July 10, 2017, at Holy Family Catholic Church at 4:00 p.m. Father Ken Smits O.F.M. Cap, will be the presider. Cremation has taken place. Private burial services will be held at St. Joseph Springs Cemetery, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

Memorials can be directed to the Sisters of St. Agnes Development Office, 320 County Road K, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin 54937, or to Hospice Hope, c/o Agnesian HealthCare Foundation, 430 E. Division St., Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

The Sisters of St. Agnes are grateful to the nurses and staff of Hospice Hope for their compassion and care of Sister Mary.

Zacherl Funeral Home is serving the Sisters of the Congregation of St. Agnes. www.zacherlfuneralhome.com

Give a donation in honor of Sister Clare Marie Conrad.

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Sister Clare Marie Conrad, CSA, (Bernice Marie Conrad) died peacefully on January 20, 2017, at St. Francis Home, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

Bernice Marie was born in Altoona, Pennsylvania, on June 24, 1916, to Francis Albert Conrad and Emma Langguth Conrad. She was one of seven children, five boys and two girls.

Sister Clare Marie made her profession of vows in the Congregation of St. Agnes on August 15, 1935. She received a BS in Education from Marian College of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, an MA in Library Science from Rosary College, River Forest, Illinois, and an MA in Theology from St. Mary’s College, Notre Dame, Indiana. Sister Clare Marie taught in elementary schools in Wisconsin for 14 years. She served as librarian for 16 years, including assignments to St. Mary’s Springs Academy and Marian College, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, Sacred Heart High School, Yonkers, New York, and Precious Blood School, Fort Wayne, Indiana.

Sister Clare Marie was appointed to ministry within the congregation, serving as Novice Directress from 1962-1969 and as Secretary General from 1973-1979.

She began a new focus in her life of service, moving in 1979 to Springerville, Arizona, where she worked in pastoral ministry and religious education. She continued in pastoral ministry at St. Mary Parish, Altoona, Pennsylvania, and St. Henry Parish, Fort Wayne, Indiana. Having helped on the staff at Nazareth Heights Infirmary, Fond du Lac, during 1997-1998, Sister Clare Marie returned to her hometown and devoted herself to giving part-time help at Marian House Manor and to visiting many elderly and homebound persons in the Altoona, Pennsylvania, area.

Sister was preceded in death by her parents Francis Albert Conrad and Emma Langguth Conrad; her brothers Francis Conrad, Regis Conrad, Leo Conrad, John Conrad, Thomas Conrad; and her sister Kathryn Pfeffer. She is survived by her loving nieces and nephews, other relatives and the Sisters of St. Agnes, with whom she lived, prayed and ministered.

Visitation for Sister Clare Marie Conrad will begin at 9:00 a.m. on Friday, January 27, 2017, at Nazareth Court and Center, 375 Gillett Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin; a prayer service will begin at 11:00 a.m., in the Community Room of Nazareth Court.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 2:00 p.m., on January 27, 2017, at St. Francis Home Chapel, 33 Everett Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. Father Ken Smits, Capuchin, will be the presider. Burial will follow at St. Joseph Springs Cemetery.

Memorials can be directed to the Sisters of St. Agnes Development Office, 320 County Road K, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin 54937.

The Sisters of St. Agnes are grateful to the nurses and staff of Nazareth Court and Center/St. Francis Home and Hospice Hope for their care of Sister Clare Marie in her last years.

Zacherl Funeral Home is serving the Sisters of the Congregation of St. Agnes.

Give a donation in honor of Sister Mary Catherine Younger.

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Sister Mary Catherine Younger, CSA, formerly known as Sister Henrietta, died peacefully on January 18, 2017, at Nazareth Center in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. Mary Catherine was born in St. Peter, Kansas, on May 12, 1931, to Leo Younger and Christine Gerber Younger. When Mary Catherine was very young the family moved to Colorado. She considered herself as a Coloradoan. Mary Catherine was one of fourteen children./p>

Sister Mary Catherine professed vows in the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes on August 15, 1952. She received a Certificate as a Food Service Director from Fontbonne College, Clayton, Missouri, and a Certificate in the Nutritional Care of the Elderly from the University of Wisconsin Science Center. Sister Mary Catherine ministered throughout her life in food services at St. Joseph Orphanage in Baraga, Michigan, and in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, at St. Mary’s Springs Academy, St. Agnes Convent, and Boyle Apostolic Center. Sister delighted many with her flair for creating the beautiful whether she was decorating cakes, designing her own delicate greeting cards, setting a festive table, or preparing attractive dishes for daily meals or special occasions./p>

Sister Mary Catherine was preceded in death by her parents Leo Younger and Christine Gerber Younger; two infant brothers John Younger and Clarence Younger; her brothers Walter Younger, Henry Younger, Leo Younger and Butchie Younger; her sisters Helen Kreutzer (Dan) and Viola Miller (Bob)./p>

Sister is survived by her sisters Josephine Dreiling, Lambertine Miller, Lucille Peeples (Billy); brothers Clarence Younger (Dian) and Derell Younger (Caroline); sisters-in-law Viola Younger and Theresa Younger; numerous nieces and nephews; and the Sisters of St. Agnes, with whom she lived, prayed and ministered./p>

A Mass of Christian Burial with the cremains present will be on January 21, 2017, at 2:00 p.m., in St. Francis Home Chapel, 33 Everett Street, Fond du Lac, WI. The presider will be Father Ken Smits, Capuchin. Burial will take place at a later date at St. Joseph Springs Cemetery./p>

Memorials can be directed to the Sisters of St. Agnes Development Office, 320 County Road K, Fond du Lac, WI 54937./p>

The Sisters of St. Agnes are grateful to the nurses and staff of Nazareth Center and to the staff of Hospice Hope for their care of Sister Mary Catherine in her last days./p>

Zacherl Funeral Home is serving the Sisters of the Congregation of St. Agnes./p>