Sister Julia Pfeifer, CSA, baptized Rose Mary, died peacefully May 1, 2024, at Nazareth Center, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.
Rose Mary was born with her twin sister, Anna Mary, in Hyacinth, Kansas on July 18, 1924, to Peter A. and Rose Liberto-Kloppertans Pfeifer. She grew up on a small wheat farm with her twin and fifteen other siblings. The year the twins were born, their father boasted that they had the best wheat crop in Ellis County, Kansas. Rose Mary attended Silverdale District 42 rural grade school and earned her high school diploma from Hays High School, Hays, Kansas in 1943. After high school, she and her twin sister worked at Walker Airforce Base, Walker, Kansas. As World War II continued, a shortage of teachers in Ellis County drew her to enroll in Ft. Hays State College, Hays, Kansas, to earn her teaching certificate. She then taught for five years in rural public elementary schools in Ellis County. In 1950, at the age of twenty-six, Rose Mary decided to enter St. Agnes Convent. She made her first profession of vows in the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes as Sister Julia on August 15, 1953, in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.
Sister Julia earned her BS in Elementary Education from Marian College, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. She enhanced this degree with lifelong continuing education credits in religious education, theology, pastoral ministry, and library science. She spent her first year in formation for religious life teaching primary grades at St. Patrick’s School in Hudson, Wisconsin. As a novice and during her first years as a professed sister, she worked at St. Joseph Orphanage, Assinins, Michigan and at Holy Family Orphanage, Marquette, Michigan as Prefect of Girls. From 1958-1996, Sister served as a teacher, religious education director, librarian, school secretary, and pastoral minister in parish settings in Illinois, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Kansas. In 1997, Sister Julia returned to Hays, Kansas, engaging in a variety of ministries in St. Joseph’s School and Parish and the newly-formed Holy Family School. She could be found in the library fostering a love of reading among children, serving as school secretary, participating in the Foster Grandparent program, teaching CCD classes, visiting parishioners in hospitals and nursing homes, and providing meals on wheels. Throughout her years in active ministry, Sister loved working with children and children loved her. She will also be remembered for her warm smile and witty sense of humor that could brighten anyone’s day.In September 2008, Sister Julia joined the community of sisters at Nazareth Court and Center in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. She enjoyed life with her CSA sisters in this setting while receiving loving care until the time of her death.
Preceding Sister Julia in death were her parents; her brothers Paul, Julius, James, Floyd, Eugene, Gerald, Gilbert, Al, Herbert; her sisters Sister Alma Rose, CSA, Anna Mary Fisher, Virginia Jacobs, Ritha Linenberger.
Sister is survived by her sisters Twila (Harold) Smith, Clarine (James) Baker, Doloris (Ralph) Pederson; her sisters-in-law Sandy Pfeifer and Henrietta Pfeifer; her beloved nieces and nephews and their families, and the Sisters of St. Agnes with whom she lived, prayed and ministered.
Cremation will take place.
A Prayer Service in honor of Sister Julia will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, May 3, 2024, in Nazareth Center Chapel, 375 Gillett Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.
A Memorial Mass will be offered at 2:00 p.m. on Friday, May 3, 2024, at St. Francis Home Chapel, 33 Everett Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, with Father Thomas Zelinski, OFM, Cap., presiding. Burial will take place on a later date 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 the Pfeifer family are grateful to the nurses and staff of Nazareth Court and Center and Hospice Hope for their devoted care of Sister Julia.
Zacherl Funeral Home is serving the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes.