Twelve Dominican Sisters of Great Bend celebrated special Jubilees May 20-21, at the motherhouse. The Jubilarians are:

Sisters Joan Forward, Marie Klein, and Crescentia Peschka, who each celebrated 75 years of religious profession, while Sisters Teresita Huse, Petrona Stockemer, and Sophia Vesecky celebrated 70 years.

Those celebrating 60 years of profession were Sisters Frances Biernacki, Edith Marie Hauser, Marie Antoinette Klein, Patricia Martinez, and Marietta Urban.

Sister Louella Staab celebrated her golden jubilee – 50 years as a Dominican Sister.

The sisters’ ministries have included approximately 450 years teaching grades 1-8 and music; more than 100 years serving as school superior/principal; more than 35 years as missionaries in Africa and Japan; more than 55 years as motherhouse organists; and more than 250 years in social work, diocesan work, prayer ministries, and pastoral care, or being congregation officers and business administrators.

The celebrations included renewal of vows, a special mass conducted by Bishop Ronald Gilmore of the Dodge City Diocese, and entertainment provided by a mariachi band from Wichita.

75th Jubilee

Sister Joan Forward

Sister Joan Forward celebrates 75 years of religious profession this year.

The daughter of Edward W. and Johanna F. Dugan Forward, Margaret Forward was born on Oct. 8, 1913, in Clearwater and baptized at St. John Church in Clonmel the next day. She had six siblings: Blanche, Helen, Paul, Cecil, Lawrence, and Gladys.

Sister Joan entered religious life in May of 1928 and made first profession in August of 1931. She spent 45 years teaching grades 1-8 and/or being superior and principal in schools in Fowler, Garden Plain, Willowdale, Sharon, La Crosse, Chase, Seward, Schulte, Great Bend, Garden City, Hutchinson, and Wichita in Kansas, Lawrence in Nebraska, and Tipton and Sedalia in Missouri. She ministered at St. Joseph Hospital in Larned for three years, serving as an office assistant and physical therapist. In 1981, she moved to the motherhouse and assumed various duties, retiring in 1995.

Sister Marie Klein

Sister Marie Klein celebrates 75 years of religious profession this year.

Named Mary Ann Agatha Klein by her parents, Anthony Joseph and Mary Helen Hoffman Klein, Sister Marie was born April 25, 1913, in Clark County, Minneola, KS, and baptized at St. Anthony Church in Fowler. She has two sisters, Ruth Rose and Viola May, who both became Dominican Sisters as well. Her sisters are Sister Ruth Klein and Sister Marie Antoinette Klein, and all live in the motherhouse.

Sister Marie first entered religious life in July of 1928, and she made first profession in August of 1931. Sister Marie’s ministries included teaching music appreciation in the convent secondary school and college, as well as giving private organ and piano lessons. Sister Marie ministered more than 25 years as an elementary and music teacher in Odin, Sharon, Dubuque, Larned, Atchison, Great Bend, Garden City, and Wichita in Kansas and in Lamar in Colorado. She did parish ministry in Goodland and pastoral care at St. Catherine Hospital in Garden City, but always combined music and being an organist with her ministry. Retired since 1994, Sister Marie is still a passionate organist and plays for services at the motherhouse and St. Rose Church.

Sister Crescentia Peschka

Sister Crescentia Peschka celebrates 75 years of religious profession this year.

Baptized Loretta Caroline Peschka at Holy Family Church in Odin, Sister Crescentia was born July 12, 1913 to Bruno Philip and Crescentia Anne Hoffman Peschka. She was one of ten children: John, Michael, Sylvester, Bruno Jr., Valeria, Francis, Cynthia, Lawrence, and Donald. Her sister, Cynthia Vick, lives in Great Bend.

She entered religious life in July of 1928, and made first profession in August of 1931. She began teaching in 1932 and taught for 61 years, before retiring in 1993. She taught grades 1-8 in Schulte, Willowdale, Sharon, Garden Plain, Beaver, Clonmel, Strong City, Dubuque, Belpre, Seward, La Crosse, Haysville, Great Bend, and Sapulpa OK. She also spent 20 years combining teaching with being superior and principal at the schools where she taught.

70th Jubilee

Sister Teresita Huse

Sister Teresita Huse celebrates 70 years of religious profession this year.

Marcella Kathrene was born July 23, 1918, baptized at St. Patrick’s Church in Kingman, attended grades 1-6 in Willowdale and 7-9 in Wichita. Her parents were Frank and Clara Marx Huse and her brothers, Leo and Cletus, (both deceased), and Sylvester of Warner-ville, N.Y.

Sister Teresita’s ministry has included 15 years teaching elementary school in St. Leo, Clonmel, Odin, Larned, and Sapulpa, OK, 14 years teaching English and religion classes in the convent high school and college in Great Bend, and one year teaching English to adults in Kyoto, Japan. She spent eight years as in pastoral ministry in Goodland. From 1976-86, she served on the Community’s leadership team and organized tours to the Holy Land. Since 1987, she has spent 15 years ministering in the Office of Mission and Ministry and 12 years as Mission Appeals coordinator.

Sister Petrona Stockemer

Sister Mary Petrona Stockemer celebrates 70 years of religious profession this year.

Baptized Dolores Katherine Stockemer at St. Leo church in St. Leo, Sister Petrona was born Sept. 22, 1918, in Cunningham, the daughter of Peter and Katherine Fischer Stockemer. She has one sister, Elizabeth (Sister Malachy Stockemer). She entered religious life in August of 1933 and made first profession in August of 1936.

Sister Petrona became a school teacher in 1937 and sometimes combined classroom teaching with being superior and principal or being the librarian. She taught in Garden Plain, Great Bend, Odin, Beaver, Strong City, Clonmel, Larned, Fowler, Seward, Chase, Garden City, Wichita, Hutchinson, Schulte, and Lawrence NE. She retired in 2002 and has since carried on a prayer ministry combined with community service while living at the motherhouse.

Sister Sophia Vesecky

Sister Sophia Vesecky celebrates 70 years of religious profession this year.

Baptized Clara Bernadine Vesecky at Holy Trinity church in Timken, Sister Sophia was born Aug. 3, 1915, in Timken to Frank and Sophia Blazek Vesecky. She had four siblings: her twin, Clarence, and John, Mary, and Ethel. Her brother John was a priest. She entered religious life in August of 1933 and made first profession three years later.

Sister Sophia’s ministry of more than 50 years revolved around domestic work, working in kitchens and doing household chores to provide a home for sisters living in the motherhouse, Clonmel, Wichita, Fowler, Seward, Belpre, Hutchinson, and Sapulpa OK. She also worked for several years in the kitchens at St. Rose Hospital in Great Bend and St. Joseph Hospital in Larned. She retired in 1992.

60th Jubilee

Sister Frances Biernacki

Sister Frances Biernacki celebrates 60 years of religious profession this year.

Born Dorothea Theresa Biernacki Feb. 25, 1928, in Garden City, Sister Frances is the daughter of Francis J. and Rose Mary Wolf Biernacki. She is one of nine children: John Fred Biernacki and Edmond Biernacki, both of Garden City, Rosella Billinger of Northglenn, CO, Evelyn Biernacki of Littleton, CO., Ivan Biernacki of Pearl River LA, the late Leroy Biernacki, the late Raymond Charles Biernacki and the late David Biernacki.

Sister Frances entered religious life in June of 1943 and made first profession in August of 1946. Her ministry has included elementary school teaching, missionary work, prayer ministry and community service. She spent 12 years teaching at North Ellinwood, Great Bend, Sharon, Strong City, Wichita, and Lamar, CO.

In 1956 she went to Gusau, Nigeria, Africa, to do missionary work. An automobile accident sent her home in 1959 to recover at the motherhouse until 1961, when she resumed teaching for four years. Although returning to the missionary field was strong in her, Sister Frances obtained a master’s degree, did social work in Mt. Clemens, MI, and worked in a mental health center in Liberal before she returned to Nigeria. In 1973, Sister Frances spent six months in Niger, Africa, aiding the drought-stricken, starving people from the Sahara Desert. Later, she spent seven years in Hoisington and Garden City working as supervisor of Catholic Social Service and as a community councilor, before returning to Nigeria for 16 years. She returned to Africa in 2000 for one more year, missioned in Kaduna.

Sister Frances retired to the motherhouse in 2001, focusing her energies on prayer ministry, pastoral ministry and community service.

Sister Edith Marie Hauser

Sister Edith Marie Hauser celebrates 60 years of religious profession this year.

Sister Edith Marie was born Jan. 19, 1927, in St. Leo and baptized Mary Louise Hauser the next day at St. Leo Church. Of the eight children born to Edward and Mary Schnittker Hauser, Mary Louise and her sister, Bertha (the late Sister Amadea), both joined the Dominican Sisters of Great Bend. Her other siblings are Eva Hauser of Lamar, CO, Col. (ret) Joseph Hauser of Odenton, MD, Angela Scantlin of Wichita, Eugene Hauser of Nashville, KS, the late Roselma Spade, and the late James Hauser.

Sister Edith Marie entered religious life in August 1943 and made first profession three years later. During her years as a Dominican Sister, she has chosen teaching to be her ministry. She began teaching in 1946 and continues to teach today. In 1983, she went to Durango, CO, as principal and teacher of grades three and four, the position she holds today. She has also taught or been superior/principal in schools in Garden City, Wichita, Great Bend, Dubuque, Sharon, and Chase in Kansas, Nicoma Park in Oklahoma, and Pueblo in Colorado.

Sister Marie Antoinette Klein

Sister Marie Antoinette Klein celebrates 60 years of religious profession this year.

Viola May Klein was born Aug. 20, 1927, in Dodge City to Anthony Joseph and Mary Helen Hoffman Klein. She was baptized at Sacred Heart Church in Dodge City. Her mother began teaching her to play the piano when she was about 4 years old. A year later, she played on the radio in Dodge City, playing "Little Hero March." She has two sisters, who also play piano and organ and are Dominican Sisters, Mary Ann (Sister Marie Klein) and Ruth Rose (Sister Ruth Klein).

Sister Marie Antoinette entered religious life in January of 1944 and made first profession in August of 1946. Her ministry has always evolved around teaching music and being an organist, although she has combined some other activities. She did domestic work in the motherhouse and at Magdalen in Wichita. Since 1988, she has helped with micro-filming records at Central Kansas Medical Center, as well as being an organist at the motherhouse. Her hobbies include baking, especially cookies, and running errands for others.

Sister Patricia Martinez

Sister Patricia Martinez celebrates 60 years of religious profession this year.

Baptized Pasquala Martinez at Holy Trinity Church in Little River, Sister Patricia was born May 13, 1925, to Gregorio and Placida Gomez Martinez. She has four siblings: Antonia, Asencia, and John Martinez, all of McPherson, and Patrosinia Oltmanns of Wichita. She entered religious life in October of 1943 and made first profession in August of 1956.

During her years as a Dominican Sister of Great Bend, Sister Patricia ministered as a teacher for 56 years. She taught in schools in Sharon, Dubuque, Willowdale, Seward, Clonmel, St. Leo, Belpre, Great Bend, Ellinwood, Chase, Cunningham, Schulte, Hutchinson, Wichita, and Lawrence NE. In schools in Chase, Cunningham, Hutchinson, and Lawrence NE she also served as superior and/or principal. Although she retired to the motherhouse in 2004, Sister Patricia still works part-time as a tutor.

Sister Marietta Urban

Sister Marietta Urban celebrates 60 years of religious profession this year.

Sister Marietta was baptized Viola Margaret Urban on Oct. 20, 1928, at St. Mary Church in Loretto, two days after her birth to Jacob and Catherine Suppes Urban. She had seven siblings. Her surviving sisters are Mary Depperschmidt of Ponca City, OK, Florine Meister of Great Bend, and Esther Wanzel, Davenport IA.

She entered religious life in August 1942 and made first profession in August of 1946. Years of ministry included nearly 20 years as a grade school teacher in St. Leo, La Crosse, Larned, Strong City, Cunningham, Chase, and Wichita and a dozen years as a missionary and teacher in Gusau, Amakohia, and Malawi, Africa. Her most recent ministries have been in pastoral care in Larned, motherhouse coordinator in Great Bend, and diocesan director at Harvest House in Wichita. She is currently living at Millwood in Wichita and caring for the sisters’ needs there. In addition, she is working as a senior companion, helping several clients in their homes each week.

50th Jubilee — Golden Jubilee

Sister Louella Staab

Sister Louella Staab celebrates 50 years of religious profession this year.

Born Oct. 8, 1931, in Catherine and baptized Maybell Ann Catherine Staab at St. Catherine Church, Sister Louella is one of nine children born to Alexius and Celestine Weigel Staab. Her surviving siblings are Robert Staab and William Staab, both of Salina, Norman Staab and Roger Staab, both of Hays, Erlene Lieker of Olathe, Ervell Staab of Omaha, NE, Ruby Nowak of Russell, and Dennis Staab of Olathe.