Sr. Dorothy Steckler, O.S.F.'s Obituary
Sr. Dorothy Steckler, formerly Sr. Mary Bernarda, age 96 of the Srs. of St. Francis, died Monday, December 9, 2013 at the convent. Born July 18, 1917 in Nesbit, Indiana, she is the daughter of Anna (Nee: Hillenbrand) and John Steckler.She entered the convent June 16, 1932 and made her final vows January 6, 1939. She loved people of all ages which made visiting with her fun. She had a great sense of style and loved to dance as well. A teacher for over 80 years, Sr. Dorothy spent most of her career teaching first grade. Those schools included St. Gabriel’s in Connersville, Indiana, St. Lawrence, St. Mark’s, St. Michael’s and St. Gabriel’s, all in Indianapolis, Indiana, Primary Central in New Albany, Indiana, St. Joseph’s in Shelbyville, Indiana, St. Joseph’s in Princeton, Indiana, St. Joseph’s and St. Anthony’s in Evansville, Indiana, Our Lady of Sorrow in Kansas City, Missouri, St. Clements’s and St. Francis in Cincinnati, Ohio, and St. John’s in Middletown, Ohio. In later years, she served as a reading specialist in the elementary grades and was parish minister at St. Mary’s Church in Lanesville, Indiana.She is survived by numerous nieces and nephews. In addition to her parents, she is also preceded in death by sisters Anita Schellers, Sr. Julitta Steckler O.S.F., Veronica Meyer, Priscilla Kremer, Carolyn Helfrich, Lorene Elbers, Ann Louise Paul, Mary Dolores Like and brothers Gilbert, Albert, Raymond and Francis Steckler.Visitation is Friday, December 13th, from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. at the Motherhouse in Oldenburg. Funeral services follow at 1 p.m. with Rev. John Fink officiating with burial in the convent cemetery. Weigel Funeral Home, Batesville, is in charge of arrangements (www.weigelfh.com).Memorials may be made to the Srs. of St. Francis, P.O. Box 100, Oldenburg, IN, 47036 (www.OldenburgFranciscans.org).
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