Sister M. Genevieve Pfeifer

Now at last you have turned to me and heard my cry for help (Ps 40:1)

Our dear Sister Genevieve Pfeifer (formerly Sister Damian) entered into eternal rest and peace at 4:40 pm on Wednesday, October 28, 2020. She died at Mount St. Francis Nursing Center where she resided since 2014, living life to the full.

Sister Genevieve was born March 21, 1917 (103 years ago) in Lindsay Nebraska, the seventh of nine children born to Thomas and Catherine (Martischang) Pfeifer. Sister Genevieve’s siblings, five brothers and three sisters have preceded her in death.

Sister Genevieve wrote in her Vocation Story, “My mother approached me with a question: Would you like to be a Sister? Well, that was such a sudden knock at my door: I was not prepared to answer immediately but kept pondering this in my heart. I went to talk things over with my favorite teacher, Sister Gaudiosa about the important step I was to take. Somehow, the other Sister’s at Saint Bernard’s Convent had an inkling of my plan and when Sister Speciosa met me on the sidewalk she said, “Are you going to the Convent? I was eager to blow my horn about it, so she continues, “You know that the Lord loves flowers when they are buds more than when they start losing petals. So with the grace of God I am what I am” This is our Sister Genevieve!

Sister Genevieve entered our Community on January 6, 1934, professing her final vows August 12, 1941. In 2019 she celebrated her 85th Jubilee. We celebrated her 100th birthday on March 21, 2017 in the Mount Saint Francis Nursing Center, and again with all the Sisters at St. Clare Covent on March 19th.

Sister spent her years sharing her gifts in religious life in domestic services. For seven years she served in the Immaculate Heart of Mary Province in Indiana: Logansport, Lafayette, Dunnington, Indianapolis and LaPorte.

In Saint Joseph Province she ministered in Nebraska, Kansas, New Mexico and Colorado. She moved to Mount Saint Francis in 2000. Sister was especially drawn to serve the poor. She had a tender Franciscan heart, a gracious, kind and joy-filled spirit with the delightful sense of humor of one who liked to tell jokes, stories and sing fun tunes. Her wit was entertaining.

Sister Genevieve is survived by her nephew, Msgr. Robert Nienaber, Niece, Sister Jane Nienaber, OSF (Joliet Franciscan), numerous nieces and nephews, great and great – great nieces and nephews who showered her with greetings on her birthday and Christmas.

A private Vesper and Wake service will be held in Canticle Chapel at Mount Saint Francis at 5:30 pm on November 1, 2020 and with the Mass of Resurrection celebrated on November 2, 2020 at 10:30 am in the Saint Francis of Assisi church, followed by burial in the Mount Saint Francis Cemetery.

Sister Marietta Spenner, OSF

Mount Saint Francis

October 2020