Category: Sisters Laid to Rest

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.

Sister Catherine Markey, OSB, 94, of Fort Smith, passed away on Saturday, December 11, 2021 as a resident of Chapel Ridge Health and Rehab.

She was born on September 29, 1927 in Newton, Massachusetts to the late Joseph J. and Rose (Flanagan) Markey. Sister Catherine was a dedicated teacher and activist. Her passion for the poor and exploited touched every aspect of her tiny frame and gentle personality. She had a love of animals and root beer. She enjoyed traveling and her faith and love of family and friends never waned.

Sister Catherine earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Secondary Education from the University of Louisiana, Lafayette. Sister Catherine made her Religious Profession on August 15, 1947 with the Sisters of Most Holy Sacrament. She later entered St. Scholastica Monastery in 1990 and made her monastic profession with the Sisters of St. Scholastica Monastery on August 7, 1993.

She went on to earn her Masters in Science from Notre Dame University, Notre Dame, Indiana, with emphasis in Chemistry and Physics in 1961. She obtained her Library Science Degree from LSU in Baton Rouge, LA in 1973. She also completed Continuing Education Workshops in Archival and Oral History, Basic Genealogy, Theology and Canon Law from 1975 to 1977. She served as Archivist in the Diocese of Little Rock and the Diocese of Jackson in Mississippi.
In addition to her parents, she is preceded in death by her siblings, Sister Anna James Markey, SC, Sister Mary Richard Markey, MHS, and her brother, Richard Markey.

Vespers will be 7:30 P.M. Tuesday, December 28, 2021, Funeral Mass will be 10:30 A.M. Wednesday, December 29, 2021, both at St. Scholastica Monastery Chapel, with interment at St. Scholastica Cemetery.
Arrangements are under the direction of Edwards Funeral Home, Fort Smith.

She is survived by her cousins, Genevieve Duffy and family from Rockville, MD Mary Behan and family from Valley Stream, NY; the Sisters of St. Scholastica Monastery, Fort Smith, AR; and the Sisters of Most Blessed Sacrament in Lafayette, LA.

Sister Agatha Knittig, age 99, a member of St. Scholastica Monastery, died March 18, 2022, at Chapel Ridge Health & Rehab in Fort Smith, Arkansas, thirteen days before her 100th birthday. Anna Marie Knittig was born March 31, 1922, in Morrison Bluff, AR to Albert and Mary Neuman Knittig. She was the oldest of eight children. Sister Agatha entered St. Scholastica Monastery in 1940, made first profession on June 24, 1943 and final profession on June 24, 1946. She loved her 46 years teaching elementary students in Clarksville, Atkins, Fort Smith (St. John’s and St. Boniface), Russellville, Rogers, and Little Rock (St. Theresa’s) in Arkansas and in Moberly and Lebanon in Missouri. After retiring from teaching, she worked in the diet kitchen at St. Scholastica’s for seven years, then was director of religious education at Subiaco for four years. After retiring to the monastery in 2000, she helped in various household du-ties and was a regular visitor to residents in nursing homes.

She earned her Bachelor of Science degree at Incarnate Word College in San Antonio, TX and attended many workshops on religious education. As long as she was able, Sister Agatha enjoyed baking breads and cookies and making candy for the monastery’s bake sales. She faithfully kept in touch with family and friends through phone calls.
The Sisters at St. Scholastica Monastery thank Sister Agatha’s caregivers at St. Scholastica’s and at Chapel Ridge Health & Rehab for their loving care for her.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her sisters, Marie Zaloudek and Rose Enderlin; and her brother, Charles Knittig. She is survived by her sister, Lona Weisenfels; and three brothers, Edward Knittig (Annette) of Fort Smith, Eugene Knittig of Southfield, MI, and Louis Knittig of Conway; her sister-in-law, Mary Alice Knittig; her many beloved nieces and nephews; and members of her Benedictine family. Her brother, Eugene, died two days after Sister Agatha.

A Vespers Service will be Wednesday, March 23 at 7:30 p.m. The Mass for Christian Burial will be Thursday, March 24 at 10:30 a.m., with her former student, Fr. Jerome Kodell, OSB, as presider, Fr. Joseph Chan as concelebrant, and Deacon Greg Pair as deacon. Both services will be at St. Scholastica Monastery Chapel with burial in St. Scholastica Cemetery under the direction of Ocker-Putman Funeral Home of Fort Smith.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St. Scholastica Monastery Continuing Care Fund, P.O. Box 3489, Fort Smith, AR 72913-3489.

Sister Adrian Wewers, age 95, a member of St. Scholastica Monastery in Fort Smith, Arkansas, died August 16, 2024, at Ashton Place Manor in Barling, Arkansas. Sister Adrian was born November 25, 1928, in Morrison Bluff, Arkansas, and named Hedwig Ann. She entered the monastery in 1945, joining her aunt, Sister Benita Wewers. She became a novice on June 24, 1946, when she was given the name Sister Adrian. She made temporary profession in 1948 and
final profession in 1952.

Sister Adrian’s first desire was to be a nurse but was told there was a greater need for teachers. She received her degree in elementary education from St. Mary College in Leavenworth, Kansas. Sister Adrian taught primary grades in Dardanelle, Barling, Russellville, Paris, and St. Joseph Home in North Little Rock in Arkansas, in Pilot Grove, Missouri, and in Nazareth, Texas for 36 years. She taught in Nazareth for 21 years. Sister Adrian said the most challenging and joyful part of teaching was preparing her students for the sacraments of First Reconciliation and First Holy Communion. Wherever she taught, she loved her students, and her students loved her.

After retiring from teaching, Sister Adrian lived at the monastery where she drove Sisters to their appointments and helped wherever needed.

Sister Adrian was an avid fan of the Dallas Cowboys and Arkansas Razorbacks and enjoyed watching movies with the community. She faithfully kept in contact with her family and friends and loved spending time with her family. In her later years, she spent much time praying and reading the Bible, developing a close personal relationship with Jesus.

Sister Adrian was preceded in death by her parents, Willie and Stephanie Seiter Wewers; her birth mother, Anna Lensing Wewers, who died in childbirth; her sisters, Benita Siebenmorgen and husband, Tony; and Sister Mary Ruth Wewers; her brothers, Joe Wewers and Harold Wewers; and her brothers-in-law, Herbert Stengel, Bill Edelhuber, Ray Ahlert and Pat Bentley.

She is survived by her sisters, Mary Edelhuber , Wilma Ahlert; Sarah Wewers; Patricia Reid and husband John; and Debbie Bentley; her beloved nieces and nephews; her Benedictine Sisters; and many former students.

A Vesper Service will be at 7:30 p.m. on August 30, 2024, and a Funeral Mass at 10:30 a.m. on August 31, 2024, with Father Joseph Chan as presider. Burial will follow in St. Scholastica Monastery Cemetery. Her nephews will be the pallbearers. 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.