Sister Mary Adelaide Moeller

A grateful woman with a "smile ... a sense of humor ... a positive attitude." —Sister Maryellen Tierney

On June 22, 1930, Victor and Mary Agnes (Fuchs) Moeller welcomed their daughter, Mary Adelaide. Five years later, Rita, a Down syndrome baby, was born, followed by Victor, (nicknamed Sonny), two years later. Mary was baptized at St. Barbara’s Church (now St. Augustine). She went to St. Englebert’s School. Her family moved to Ferguson when she was in second grade. There, she met our sisters at Saints John and James. High school was at Rosati-Kain. Mary entered the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet in 1948, and was received into the novitiate in 1949 as Sister Regina Agnes, her mother’s and sister’s middle names. Her bachelor’s degree in history was earned from Fontbonne College (1959), followed by a master’s degree in history/modern Europe from St. Louis University (1963).

Sister Mary ministered in elementary education in the St. Louis area at St. Mary Magdalene (1951), Notre Dame in Wellston (1952), and St. Jude (1956), where she also had the choir. She continued with choir and teaching at All Saints in University City (1960). Sister Donna Gunn shares,

I was sent to teach third grade at All Saints School ... I hadn’t taken any education courses. Mary ... could not have been kinder, more accepting, more understanding, more fun ... She instilled in me a true appreciation of what it means to be community to one another.”

At her next three assignments, St. Edward (1962), St. Matthew (1964) and Saints Mary and Joseph (1966), she was both principal and superior of the house. She then taught at St. Louis Cathedral School (1971), becoming the principal there in January of 1972.

Later, that same year, Sister Mary returned to Saints Mary and Joseph Parish as pastoral minister. She was also the religious education coordinator there from 1980 to 1990.

She continued as pastoral minister at the parish until 2005 when she became the receptionist at St. John the Baptist Parish.

Sister Mary retired in 2013 and moved to Nazareth Living Center in 2016, where she served a ministry of prayer and presence.

Sister Joan Pitlyk remembers Mary as living a "grateful life":

For years, Mary and I would talk on the phone, and every time she would tell me how grateful she was. She was grateful to the cooks at Carondelet who worked so hard to make delicious meals ... to Wade Holman in maintenance when he came to change her burned out light bulb ... to Marion Renkens for her gracious care for sisters and staff ... to the CSJ Community Life staff who came each day [to Laclede] to see if they could help the sisters in any way ... to Maryellen Tierney who baked cookies ... to Bernadette Eaton who sent them lovely decorations for their rooms ... to the aides at St. Joseph Manor who wrapped her swollen legs and who helped her in the shower ... to the community for providing a lovely room and assurance of health insurance and care so she did not have to worry.”

Sister Rosemary Flanigan also recalls her gratefulness. “I have found her ... always interested in what was going on, never complaining about aches and pains, always grateful for all the benefits ... CSJs have.”

Sister Ann Pace mentions, “She had such interesting stories and a delightful way of presenting them. She was a good example of a CSJ ... ”

Sister Ida Berresheim didn’t have a quilt when she moved into Carondelet. Mary gave her “a lovely handmade gift made by the women of Ste. Genevieve ..."

It fit my bed perfectly, and each day thereafter, when I made my bed, I said a prayer for Mary. When I told her that in our visits at Nazareth, she was quite grateful as well as happy that there was still a very good use for the quilt.

By Sister Helen Oates