Sr. Patty Campbell, age 96 of the Sisters of St. Francis, died on September 4, 2023 at the Motherhouse in Oldenburg, Indiana. Born on December 24, 1926, in Dayton, Ohio, she was the eighth of fifteen children born to Harry and Edith (Nee: Whitesell) Campbell. Her father worked as a city fireman; her mother was a homemaker.
Patty loved her family very much and felt much love and security in her home. As a child she enjoyed creating games, singing and putting on plays. There was always something to do and others to do it with.
In addition to family time, Patty also enjoyed school very much. She learned to express herself there and often took a leadership role. Her teachers instilled in her a love for learning, especially reading, as well as a great devotion to the name of Jesus. She attended St. Mary Grade School in Dayton, Ohio and the Immaculate Conception Academy in Oldenburg, Indiana.
In the middle of World War II, Patty left home for the Convent. She earned degrees from both Marian College in Indianapolis, Indiana and Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio. In the span of over 30 years she taught many grade levels at a variety of schools.
In 1977, S. Patty was gifted a three-month stay at the Madonna House in Combermere, Ontario, Canada where she mentored in a spiritual path known as Poustinia (a Russian word meaning ‘desert’, a place to meet God in silence, solitude and prayer). The rhythm of that time continued to call her throughout her life.
In 2008 S. Patty moved back to the Motherhouse for the final time. Instead of referring to this change as retiring, she chose to call it ‘retreading’. She offered foot reflexology for the Sisters, hosted classes in Tai Chi, gave spiritual direction, wrote poetry and painted.
When asked of her favorite memory S. Patty once replied, “How can I name only one! I have so enjoyed all of them. Elementary school, high school, pastoral work, all have been my life as a flowing out of ‘Thy will be done’.”
Patty was preceded in death by her parents, Harry and Edith (Nee: Whitesell) Campbell; brothers John, Richard, William, Francis, Jerome and Charles Campbell; sisters Gertrude Campbell, Agnes Alexander, Mary Genevieve Campbell, Rose Marie Campbell and Marcella Benedict.
Survivors include brother William Campbell, sisters Colette Speranza and Susanna Gieringer and several nieces and nephews.
Prayer and visitation will be Thursday, September 7 at 1:30 p.m. followed by Mass at 3:00 p.m. in the convent chapel with Fr. Kenneth Overberg, SJ officiating. Burial will be at the Motherhouse Cemetery in Oldenburg. For those unable to attend, services will be live-streamed at https://youtube.com/live/GO9VGNpn1nk?feature=share
Memorials may be made to the Sisters of St. Francis, P.O. Box 100, Oldenburg, Indiana, 47036 (www.OldenburgFranciscans.org). Weigel Funeral Home, Batesville, Indiana, is handling the arrangements. For online condolences go to www.weigelfh.com.