July 19, 1935 – November 15, 2022
Please pray for the repose of the soul of Sister Janet Teresa Muehlbauer, CSJ who passed away on November 15, 2022, at Nazareth Living Center in St. Louis. She was 87 years of age.
Sister Janet Teresa was born on July 19, 1935, in Green Bay, Wisconsin, to parents Frank and Pearl (Verheyen) Muehlbauer. She entered the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet in 1953 and was received into the novitiate in 1954 with the name Sister Marian Therese. She received a bachelor’s degree in history from Fontbonne College in St. Louis in 1963 and a master’s degree in elementary education from the University of Hawai‘i – West O‘ahu in Kapolei in 1970.
Sister Janet served 50 of her 68 years as a religious in education as a teacher. Beginning in 1956, her first two classroom assignments were in the St. Louis area at the primary level. She taught at St. Agnes Grade School for two years, followed by St. Mary Grade School in the suburb of Bridgeton from 1958 to 1965. She then taught for two years at St. Anthony Grade School in Atlanta, Georgia.
In 1967, Sister Janet moved to the islands of Hawaii—the start of what would be a two-part journey and 32-year-long ministry for her in the Diocese of Honolulu.
Part one of Sister Janet’s service in Hawaii lasted for 17 years. She taught in Honolulu at Holy Trinity Grade School (1967-69) and at St. Theresa Grade School (1969-70). From 1970 to 1982, she taught at St. Joseph Grade School in Waipahu on the island of Oahu. She finished the first portion of her work at St. Therese Grade School, returning to the mainland in 1984.
Sister Janet returned to Missouri, though on the western side of the state. She taught junior high for nearly ten years in Kansas City at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Grade School (1984-92) and St. Elizabeth Grade School (1992-93).
Part two of her ministry in Hawaii began soon after. Sister Janet answered the call to return to Honolulu and St. Theresa Grade School, where she remained for the next 15 years. While in Hawaii, she also taught religion classes to public school children, coached students for speech competitions and organized the speech club at St. Theresa’s. With the help of dedicated lay teachers, she led the students in monthly meetings to implement the N.C.E.A. Vision and Value program.
Sister Janet retired from the classroom and came back to the mainland and St. Louis once again in 2008. She served her St. Louis Province community as a hospitality associate for the St. Joseph Provincial House (2008-2021) and as a volunteer at the Carondelet Literacy Center (2008-2015).
She continued to volunteer where needed until moving to Nazareth Living Center at the beginning of November 2022, just a couple of weeks before her passing.
Sister Janet was an avid Green Bay Packers fan and looked forward to each new season.
Sister Janet’s funeral Mass will be held Wednesday, December 7 at 11 a.m. at the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet Motherhouse in St. Louis. Her cremains will be buried at Resurrection Cemetery. The Mass will be available to view watch via livestream at https://video.ibm.com/channel/csjsl-general.
Memorial contributions may be made to: Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, St. Louis Province, 6400 Minnesota Ave., St. Louis, MO 63111-2899 or donate online.