Sister Grace Buckreis
Sister Grace Buckreis, CSA, baptized Lucille Phyllis, and formerly known as Sister Grace Imelda, died peacefully April 25, 2025, at St. Francis Home, Fond du Lac, WI.
Lucille was born in Altoona, PA, on July 6, 1936, to Frederick and Elizabeth Young Buckreis. She grew up in a family of ten children, four boys and six girls. After her graduation from Altoona Catholic High School in 1954, Lucille entered St. Agnes Convent. She made her first profession of vows in the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Agnes as Sister Grace Imelda on August 15, 1957, in Fond du Lac, WI.
Sister Grace received a BS in Nursing Education from Marian College in Fond du Lac, WI, and enhanced her professional skills throughout her nursing career by receiving Certificates in Health Mobilization, Coronary Care, and CPR. Sister served for forty-three years in healthcare as a registered nurse. She began her nursing ministry at St. Agnes Hospital, Fond du Lac, WI (1957- 1961), followed by fifteen years in Kansas, at St. Thomas Hospital in Colby and at St. Anthony Hospital in Hays. She returned to St. Agnes Hospital in Fond du Lac serving on the nursing staff for another twenty-two years, 1979-2000. Sister Grace was highly respected for her nursing skills and her gentle, compassionate presence. She was honored to be chosen as one of the recipients of the first Nightingale Awards for Excellence in Nursing presented by the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh College of Nursing in May of 1993.
When her brother Joe was diagnosed with cancer in 2000, Sister retired from full-time nursing and relocated to Indiana to provide care for him while he received treatment. Upon her return to Fond du Lac in 2004, she volunteered at Nazareth Court and Center, the CSA Retirement Center. She became the assistant to the supply manager, transported sisters to appointments, ran errands, took care of the cars, and helped wherever needed. She continued in this role until her health declined, becoming a resident of the retirement center in July 2014.
She moved to St. Francis Home in January 2019 where she received loving care until the time of her death. Her beautiful, warm smile will be remembered by all who knew her and especially by those who cared for her in her final years of life.
Sister Grace was preceded in death by her parents; her brothers Thomas, Fred, Ralph, and Joseph; her sisters Nancy Myers, Betty Jean Anterberger, Ruth Ann Frederick, Mary Hoover, and Martha (Mitzi) Dailey.
Sister is survived by her nieces and nephews and their families and by the Sisters of St. Agnes, with whom she lived, prayed, and ministered.
All services for Sister Grace will be held on Tuesday, May 6, 2025.
Visitation will be held 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, WI.
A Prayer Service will be held at 11:00 a.m. in Nazareth Center Chapel, 375 Gillett Street, Fond du Lac, WI.
The Liturgy of Christian Burial will be offered at 2:00 p.m. in St. Francis Home Chapel, 33 Everett Street, Fond du Lac, WI, with Father Tom Zelinski, OFM Cap., presiding.
Burial will follow in 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 and the Buckreis family are grateful to the nurses and staff of Nazareth Court and Center, St. Francis Home, and Hospice Hope for their devoted care of Sister Grace.
Zacherl Funeral Home is serving the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes.