Sister Ann L. Strizek, CSJ
April 19, 1936 - January 12, 2022
Prayerful, kind, welcoming
Leonette Marie, third of seven children born to Louis and Blanche (Hromas) Strizek, was born on April 19, 1936, in Valparaiso, Nebraska, about 22 miles northwest of Lincoln. Her parents lived on a farm raising cattle, pigs and chickens. “We helped with the milking of the cows and taking care of the chickens, picking up the eggs. We each had our chores to do," she said.
The children attended the local public schools and participated in catechism classes after Sunday Mass. Each summer, a group of sisters came to teach catechism for three weeks. After high school, she moved to Lincoln to find work and shared an apartment with her older sister and a cousin. After working as a receptionist/typist at an electrical company for three years, Leonette moved to Kansas City, Missouri. She hadn’t pursued her desire to go to college but had the good fortune to connect with a family who offered her a salary and place to stay if she would help with the care of their five children. This enabled her to work her way through the College of St. Theresa, where she earned a degree in medical records (1960).
During her junior year of college, Leonette decided she wanted to be a sister. Her parents were very much opposed to it—“horrified” was the word she used to describe their reaction. A number of years passed before they were able to accept her decision. After graduation the following year, she, along with over 60 other women, entered the Sisters of St. Joseph on September 15, 1960. She received the habit and the name Sister Ann Louis on March 19, 1961. Sister Ann earned her certification in medical records while still in formation. During her time in the juniorate, S. Ann began her ministry as a medical records librarian for St. Joseph Hospital in Kirkwood, Missouri (1963), while returning to the juniorate each weekend. The St. Joseph Hospital-Center for Life in Augusta, Georgia, was her next assignment
(1966).
In 1970, she began attending the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, where she earned a master’s degree in social work (1972). Then S. Ann served as a social worker at St. Joseph Hospital in Tucson, Arizona (1972). In 1975, she became the assistant administrator at the St. Joseph Carondelet Child Center in Chicago. Two years later, she was a clinical social worker at the Tulsa Catholic Social Service in Oklahoma. From there, she moved to Olathe, Kansas, in 1984 to minister as a counselor at Catholic Social Services. She then participated in clinical pastoral education training at Bethany Medical Center (1987), followed by working in pastoral ministry at St. Joseph Medical Center (1988), both in Kansas City.
In 1993, S. Ann began a long ministry at St. Mary’s Medical Center in Blue Springs, Missouri, first, as a case manager until 2007 and, then, as a chaplain until 2018. Afterwards, she retired to Nazareth Living Center. When talking about her life, S. Ann recalled some words from Joan Chittister, “… aging is not a specific kind of a phase but being who you are, where you are.”
Always, Ann was considerate of others, and very professional and caring in her ministry at Saint Joseph's and Saint Mary's Medical Centers … well respected. She had a good sense of humor. —Ann Landers, CSJ
She was a kind and very prayerful woman who always had time to listen to others. —Helen Alder, CSJ
She was a strong, determined woman who helped so many in difficult times in their lives. —Patricia Vanden Bergh, CSJ
I often thought of her as sowing our charism as she went from bedside to bedside. —Rosemary Flanigan, CSJ
Ann was the consummate welcoming and gracious sister. Ann taught through her being what being a faithful Sister of St. Joseph is. —Sandra Straub, CSJ
By Sister Helen Oates