March 26, 1928 – December 22, 2021
Please pray for the repose of the soul of Sister Ruth Marie Burkart who passed away on Wednesday, December 22, 2021, at St. Clare Hospital in Fenton, Missouri. She was 93 years of age.
Sister Ruth Marie Burkart was born on March 26, 1928, in New Franken, Wisconsin, to parents Killian and Marie C. (Schauer) Burkart. She entered the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, St. Louis Province on September 15, 1945, and was received into the novitiate on March 19, 1946, as Sister Catherine Anton. She earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Fontbonne College, now University, in 1960 and a master’s in chemistry from the University of Notre Dame in 1964.
Sister Ruth served in education for nearly 30 years. She began teaching in St. Louis at St. Roch Grade School in 1948. In the 1950s, she taught at St. Joseph’s Academy, St. Gregory Grade School, St. Edward Grade School and Holy Name Grade School. She also taught music and gave private lessons at Immacolata and St. Luke the Evangelist Grade Schools.
Outside of St. Louis, she was a junior high teacher at St. John Grade School in Ishpeming, Michigan (1960-61); she was a teacher and assistant principal at St. Teresa’s Academy in Kansas City, Missouri (1961-70), and a teacher at St. Joseph Academy in Green Bay, Wisconsin (1970-77).
After completing training in spiritual direction, Sister Ruth served as a staff member at Carondelet House of Prayer in St. Louis (1978-80); and at Stillwater House of Prayer in Stillwater, Minnesota (1980-83). For the next 11 years, she was a spiritual director at Ministry and Life Center of St. Norbert Abbey in DePere, Wisconsin.
Returning to St. Louis in 1994, she worked for her CSJ community in the St. Louis Province Development Office for eight years.
Sister Ruth retired in 2013. Since 2016, she had resided at Nazareth Living Center, where she continued to carry out her mission of prayer and presence.
Funeral Arrangements
The funeral arrangements are pending.
Memorial Contributions
Memorial contributions may be made to the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, St. Louis Province, 6400 Minnesota Ave., St. Louis, MO 63111-2899 or donate online.