Sister Dolorita Libs of Monastery Immaculate Conception in Ferdinand, Indiana, died at 2:10 p.m. on October 13, 2022, at the monastery. She was 101 years old.
Sister Dolorita was born Josephine Libs on December 20, 1920, in Floyds Knobs, Indiana, the fourth of eight children of Martin and Caroline (Zimmerman) Libs. She entered the Sisters of St. Benedict of Ferdinand in 1937 from St. Mary-of-the-Knobs Parish and made her profession of monastic vows in 1939.
She is survived by her sister Evelyn (Libs) Baumann; her brother Irvin and sister-in-law Jan (Smith) Libs; her nieces and nephews; and her religious community. She was preceded in death by her parents; her sister Bertha (Libs) and brother-in-law Eugene Eckert; her sister Mary J. (Libs)and brother-in-law PaulMorthorst; her sister Dorothy (Libs) and brother-in-law WilfredSprigler; her brother Raymond and sister-in-law Mary (Uhl) Libs; her sister Anna Lee (Libs)and brother-in-law Odell“Sam”Gesenhues; and her brother-in-law Bud Baumann.
Sister Dolorita earned her Bachelor’s degree in Education from St. Benedict College, and her Master’s degree in Education from St. Louis University. She also took Spanish classes at the University of Evansville and spent a summer on a Journalism scholarship at the University of Detroit. She was a teacher at St. Anthony School in St. Anthony, IN; St. Michael School in Bradford, IN; St. Paul School in Tell City, IN; and Mater Dei High School and Christ the King School, both in Evansville, IN. She served as a missionary in Coban, Guatemala, for 2 years. Sister Dolorita served with St. Joseph Hospital in Huntingburg, IN in Pastoral Care, as Patient Visitor, and as a Pastoral Associate. She continued in the healthcare field as Director of Activities at Professional Care Nursing Home in Dale, IN, before serving as receptionist at Marian Heights Academy in Ferdinand, and then Supportive Services and most recently Prayer Ministry with the sisters of St. Benedict in Hildegard Health Center.
Public visitation will be held in the Marian Parlor at Monastery Immaculate Conception in Ferdinand, Indiana, on Sunday, October 16from 1:00 to 4:30 p.m. and from 6:00 to 6:45 p.m., and in the monastery church on Monday, October 17 from 2:00 to 4:15 p.m. AVigil Service will be held in the monastery church on Sunday, October16at 7:00 p.m. The Funeral Mass will be at 4:30 p.m. on Monday,October 17in the monastery church, followed by burial in the monastery cemetery. The vigil and funeral will be live-streamed at funeral.thedome.org.Becher Funeral Home in Ferdinand is in charge of the arrangements.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Sisters of St. Benedict of Ferdinand.
