Sister Marie Camille Schmaltz, age 95, of the Sisters of St. Francis, died on December 29, 2023 at the Motherhouse in Oldenburg, IN. Born on February 11, 1928, in Cincinnati, OH, she was the oldest of four children born to Joseph Aloysius Schmaltz and Dorothy (Nee: Frietsch) Schmaltz. Her father was a postal employee, and her mother was a homemaker.
Sister was baptized LaVerne, and she described her family as “very Catholic”. They went to church every Sunday, no matter what the weather. Family was very important to her. She wrote, “On Sundays we would go out for a ride or visit grandparents, and then pick up ice cream for dessert. Many Sunday nights the family would play bingo together”. As the oldest, LaVerne learned early to organize her three brothers.
LaVerne had three relatives in the Oldenburg Franciscans, Sisters Laverne and Paschal Frietsch and Lamberta Geglein, so she grew up knowing the community. In 1946 she herself entered the congregation, and in 1947 she received the name Sister Marie Camille.
Sister’s ministry began at Holy Cross Parish in St. Louis, MO teaching first grade. After that she taught every grade in various Catholic schools in Ohio and Indiana. During those years she was recognized with awards including Who’s Who Among American Women, Who’s Who in American Education, and Distinguished Graduate of St. John the Evangelist School, Cincinnati, OH.
In 1993 Sister discerned it was time to leave teaching. Remembering she had liked working in sales before entering the community, she applied to a Lazarus department store. She was hired and worked successfully for three years. Next Sister Marie Camille spent ten years in Tele ministry for St. Anthony Messenger, working her way up to Assistant Manager before retiring. In 2009 Sister moved to the Motherhouse in Oldenburg.
She is survived by her brothers Herbert (Patty) and Robert (Tim) Schmaltz; sister-in-law Ginny Schmaltz, as well as numerous nieces and nephews and great nieces and great nephews. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her brother Joseph Schmaltz.
Prayer and visitation will be Friday, January 5, 2024, at 9 a.m. followed by Mass at 10:30 a.m. in the convent chapel with Fr. Kenneth Overberg, SJ officiating. For those unable to attend, services will be live-streamed at: https://youtube.com/live/OybLapb2OvU?feature=share. Memorials may be made to the Sisters of St. Francis, P.O. Box 100, Oldenburg, Indiana, 47036 (www.OldenburgFranciscans.org). For online condolences go to www.weigelfh.com.