Sister Clare Marie Conrad, CSA
Sister Clare
Marie Conrad, CSA, (Bernice Marie Conrad) died peacefully on January 20, 2017,
at St. Francis Home, Fond du Lac, WI.
Bernice
Marie was born in Altoona, PA, 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, WI, an MA in Library Science from Rosary
College, River Forest, IL, and an MA in Theology from St. Mary’s College, Notre
Dame, IN. Sister Clare Marie taught in
elementary schools in WI for 14 years.
She served as librarian for 16 years, including assignments to St. Mary’s
Springs Academy and Marian College, Fond du Lac, WI, Sacred Heart High School,
Yonkers, NY, and Precious Blood School, Fort Wayne, IN.
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, AZ, where
she worked in pastoral ministry and religious education. She continued in pastoral ministry at St.
Mary Parish, Altoona, PA, and St. Henry Parish, Fort Wayne, IN. 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, PA,
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, WI; 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, WI. 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 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.