January 5, 1932 – January 2, 2022
Please pray for the repose of the soul of Sister Carolyn Strack, CSJ, who passed away on January 2, 2022, at Nazareth Living Center in St. Louis, Missouri. She was 89 years of age.
Sister Carolyn Strack was born on January 5, 1932, in Indianapolis, Indiana, to parents Eugene and Clara (Busald) Strack. She entered the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet on February 11, 1951, and was received into the novitiate on August 15, 1951, as Sister Marie Clare. She made her final profession on August 15, 1958. She earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Fontbonne College in 1962.
For more than 30 years, Sister Carolyn taught in elementary education. She taught in Missouri at St. Philip Neri Grade School in St. Louis (1953-56 and 1969-70); St. Gregory Grade School in St. Ann (1956-61); Assumption Grade School in Kansas City (1961-64); and at St. Mary Grade School in Bridgeton (1965-69). She also taught in Chicago, Illinois, at St. Viator Grade School (1964-65).
In 1970, Sister Carolyn left elementary education and began a long career in various religious education programs starting in the diocesan Religious Education Office of Jefferson City, Missouri, in teacher training. She then went back to St. Louis to St. Blaise Parish School of Religion (1971-74), which was larger than the parish elementary school. Having organized this religious education school, she moved to Shawano, Wisconsin, to organize another large religious education school, this time for Sacred Heart Parish (1974-79).
In 1979, she moved to St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception Parish in Aurora, Indiana. A year later, she went to the Indianapolis area where she was the religious education coordinator for the Catholic community, located at the Army military base of Fort Benjamin Harrison, until 1986. During this time, she also did pastoral ministry with the families as Catholic chaplains became less available for these small military bases.
Following her years with the military families, Sister Carolyn was a pastoral associate for the parishes of St. Catherine (1986-91) and St. James (1990-92) in Indianapolis. She also ministered as parish life coordinator for these two parishes.
After a sabbatical, Sister Carolyn returned to St. Louis to serve as pastoral care director at Nazareth Living Center (1993-99). She retired in 1999 but ministered for her community wherever she was needed, including as a receptionist for the province’s Development Office from 1999 to 2006.
Sister Carolyn then went on to volunteer where needed, including as a part-time archival aide for the St. Joseph Provincial House from 2009 to 2019. During that time, in June of 2015, she became a resident of Nazareth Living Center, where she continued to carry out her mission of prayer and presence.
Funeral Arrangements
A Funeral Mass will be held for Sister Carolyn on Thursday, January 6 at 10 a.m. at Nazareth Living Center. The service is open to Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet and family members at this time. With COVID restrictions, this is subject to change. The service will also be able to be viewed on the St. Louis CSJ Livestream channel.
Memorial Contributions
Memorial contributions may be made to:
Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, St. Louis Province
6400 Minnesota Ave.
St. Louis, MO 63111-2899
or you can donate to the St. Louis Province online.