January 23, 1925 – May 13, 2025
Please pray for the repose of the soul of Sister Winifred “Winnie” Adelsberger, who passed away on May 13, 2025, at Nazareth Living Center in St. Louis. She was 100 years of age.
Sister Winifred, baptized Mary Winifred, was born on January 23, 1925 in St. Louis to parents Stephen S. and Winifred (O’Neill) Adelsberger. She entered the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet in 1941 and was received into the novitiate in 1942 as Sister Mary Leander. She received a bachelor’s degree in Latin from Fontbonne College (now University) in 1955 and a master’s degree in Latin from St. Louis University in 1964.
Sister Winifred devoted more than 60 years of ministry to education. She began in the 1940s at Holy Rosary Grade School and St. Louis Cathedral Grade School, both in St. Louis. She continued into the 1950s at St. Patrick’s in Rolla, Missouri; St. Edward’s in St. Louis; and Sacred Heart in Muskogee, Oklahoma.
She began teaching high school in 1956, first at St. Thomas Aquinas in Florissant, Missouri. After assisting in the opening of a new parish high school in Chicago, where she taught for six years, she returned to Missouri and taught at Redemptorist in Kansas City.
In the early 1960s, she taught at St. Anthony High School in south St. Louis. From 1966 to 1971, she was a teacher and assistant administrator at St. Joseph’s Academy in St. Louis and returned to St. Thomas Aquinas High School for 12 years as administrator and principal.
From 1983 to 1986, Sister Winifred worked for the Catholic Education Office in the Archdiocese of St. Louis as the coordinator of school data services. During that time, computer scheduling was introduced into the Archdiocesan high schools.
Serving her Sisters of St. Joseph community, she worked at the Congregational Center as an administrative assistant through 2002.
Sister Winifred retired in 2002. For the next 17 years, she was active in volunteer ministry at St. Joseph’s Academy. She moved to Nazareth Living Center in 2019 and carried out her mission of prayer and presence.
Funeral services for Sister Winifred will be held on Wednesday, May 21 at Nazareth Living Center, 2 Nazareth Lane, St. Louis, MO 63129. Visitation begins at 9 a.m., followed by Mass at 10 a.m.
Memorial contributions may be made to: Sister of St. Joseph of Carondelet, St. Louis Province, 6400 Minnesota Ave., St. Louis, MO 63111-2899 or donate online.