Witte, Catherine Dc Sr.

MENANDS - Daughter of Charity, Sister Catherine (Mary Loyola) Witte died peacefully on September 3, 2013 at St. Louise House, Menands, NY.

Sister Catherine Witte was born in Utica, NY in 1919 to Agnes C. Wameling and Joseph F. Witte and grew up there with her two brothers, Joseph and Laurence.

At 28 she became a Daughter of Charity in Emmitsburg, MD. Sister had many duties in health settings in Bridgeport, Boston, Jacksonville, Saginaw, Southfield, Buffalo, Dorchester and Troy. Her college and master’s degrees in nursing education from Boston College enabled her to perform these services well. In these settings Sister served in administration and as the director of nursing diploma schools. In Buffalo, Sister Catherine served as Sister Servant (local superior) from 1976-1982 and as the director of the nursing school which had an excellent reputation. When the nursing school closed, she cared for babies and mothers, married and unmarried, at St. Mary’s Hospital, Dorchester, MA through pastoral care.

In 1993 Sister became a Pastoral Care Chaplain in the surgery department at St. Mary’s Hospital in Troy, NY. Wonderful volunteers assisted her as families waited anxiously through surgeries of their loved ones. The coffee was fresh, hot and a comfort to many.

Sister was a good listener and a woman without pretentions.

Failing health brought Sister Catherine to St. Louise House in 2007. She continued to enjoy her visits to her brother Laurence (Red) in Utica during vacation time, visiting her sister companions, outings and using her pastoral skills with staff and sisters.

Sister is survived by her brother Laurence Witte and her nephews and nieces.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Thursday, September 5, 2013 in the DePaul House Chapel at 10:30 am. Interment will follow in St Agnes Cemetery. Menands. A Wake Service remembering Sister will be held at 7 PM on Wednesday September 4, 2013. Calling hours will begin at 4 PM Wednesday when the body returns and is blessed in the DePaul House Chapel, 96 Menand Road, Albany. Donations may be made to Daughters of Charity Mission Services, 4330 Olive St, St Louis, MO 63108-2622.