Author: Stephanie Nugent

July 5. 1920 – July 29, 2024

Sister Marcella Schmalz, age 104, a member of St. Scholastica Monastery, died July 29, 2024, at Chapel Ridge Health & Rehab in Fort Smith, Arkansas. Sister Marcella was born July 5, 1920, in Carbon City, Arkansas, to Ed and Helen Agnes Blunk Schmalz. She was named Marcella Carolina. During her teen years, she moved to California where two of her sisters lived and worked. While there, she became a beautician, but the call to religious life she had felt since she was eight years old never left. Sister Marcella heeded the call and entered St. Scholastica as a candidate on August 11, 1943. She was given the name Mary Benoit and made her first profession June 24, 1946. She made her final profession on June 24, 1949.

During her years of mission work, her work centered mostly around cooking and the diet kitchen. She lived out her calling as a Benedictine in different areas of Arkansas and Missouri, including Lake Village, Atkins, St. Joseph’s Orphanage, the Bishop’s residence in Little Rock, the hospital in Van Buren in Arkansas and St. Joseph’s Hospital in Boonville, Missouri. In 1971, she moved to Canyon, Texas, where she became a founding member of St. Scholastica’s daughter house, St.

Benedict’s Monastery. Sister Marcella contributed forty-six years to the work of the Benedictines in Texas. In Canyon, she served as vocation and oblate director, subprioress, cook-dietician, organist, and gardener. At St. Anthony’s Hospital in Amarillo, she served in pastoral care. After the closure of St. Benedict’s Monastery in 2017, Sister Marcella returned home to St. Scholastica.

Sister Marcella’s deep monastic spirituality, hospitable spirit, and peaceful presence endeared her to her community members and the people of Canyon.  She was a wonderful cook and bread maker and hardworking gardener.  A fall in the garden caused serious damage to her right wrist and hand.  Despite surgeries and much therapy, she was never able to regain use of her right hand.  She worked hard to learn to use her left hand and continued her usual duties. The only change was that she needed more help.

Her 100th birthday was in the Covid year of 2020, so her party was an internal community event.  On July 5 this year, 23 days before her death, the community and staff at Chapel Ridge had a big party with the Sisters, friends, and residents at Chapel Ridge. She greatly enjoyed celebrating with everyone.

She was preceded in death by her parents and siblings: Alice Schrivner and husband, Dave; Hilda Nehus and husband, Gary; Irene Upchurch and husband, Carl; Roy Schmalz and wife, Mary; Estella Etzkorn and husband, Albert. She is survived by her beloved nieces and nephews and the Benedictine Sisters of St. Scholastica.

 A Vesper Service will be at 7:30 p.m. on September 19 and a Funeral Mass at 10:30 a.m. on September 20 with Father Jerome Kodell, OSB, presiding.  All services will take place at St. Scholastica Monastery.  Interment of her cremains in St. Scholastica’s new columbarium will be at a later date.  In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St. Scholastica Monastery’s Continuing Care Fund, 1315 S. Albert Pike Ave., Fort Smith, AR 72903.

Sister Magdalen Stanton, OSB, age 84, a member of St. Scholastica Monastery, died at Chapel Ridge Health & Rehab on February 15, 2022. Lain Swafford Stanton was born on July 23, 1937 in Shreveport, Louisiana, to William Swafford and Jeannette Lain Swafford . She graduated from Germantown High School in Germantown, Tennessee, in 1955. Lain was a wonderful big sister to her brother and sister who were several years younger.

Before entering St. Scholastica Monastery, Lain was married and worked as an interior designer, bookkeeper, and photographer in Memphis. In the 1970’s she attended Memphis State University part time. After her divorce, she moved to Fort Smith to be near her sister, Patty O’Brien. She converted to Catholicism and was baptized at Immaculate Conception Church in Fort Smith in 1993. A few years before entering the monastery, she lived in Subiaco and worked at the Gift Shop in Coury House.

Lain entered St. Scholastica Monastery in 1997 and became a novice in 1998, taking the name Sister Magdalen. She made perpetual profession on June 24, 2003. In the monastic community, Sister Magdalen taught calligraphy classes at the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith and gave calligraphy workshops. She was proud of the work of some of her students who continued practicing calligraphy. Using her calligraphy skills, she completed a beautiful necrology book, listing all the Sisters of St. Scholastica Monastery who had died. From 2001 to 2012, Sister Magdalen was Director of the Oblate Program. After learning to play the autoharp, she enjoyed playing for some of the community liturgies. Because of declining health, Sister Magdalen moved to the Infirmary in 2009 and later moved to Chapel Ridge Health & Rehab.

Sister Magdalen was a gracious Southern lady for whom art and beauty were very important. She was a voracious reader. She loved being surrounded by books and beautiful things.

She was preceded in death by her parents and sister-in-law, Cathie Swafford. She is survived by her brother, Bill Swafford in Boulder, Colorado; her sister, Patty O’Brien (Jim) in Fort Smith; her nephews, John Calhoun and Michael O’Brien; her nieces, Kym Wootton and Mary O’Brien; three great nephews and nieces; and members of her Benedictine community.

A Vespers Service will be on April 8 at 7:30 p.m. The funeral Mass will be on April 9 at 10:30 a.m. with Rev. Cassian Elkins, OSB and Rev. Joseph Chan presiding. Both services will be at St. Scholastica Monastery. Burial will follow in St. Scholastica’s cemetery.