Sister Carlilta Koch, 80, of Monastery Immaculate Conception in Ferdinand, Indiana, died at 8:45 p.m. on Saturday, August 13, 2016, at the monastery’s Hildegard Health Center.
Sister Carlita was born July 1, 1936, in Evansville, Indiana, the first of five children of Charles and Gertrude (Elpers) Koch. She entered the Sisters of St. Benedict of Ferdinand in 1953 and made her profession of monastic vows in 1955. She celebrated the 60th anniversary of her monastic profession in 2015.
She is survived by three sisters; Sister Rosa Lee Koch of Ferdinand, Martha Render (Wayne) of Greenwood, and Karen Waller of Evansville; nieces and nephews, and members of her religious community. She was preceded in death by her parents and her brother, Reverend Monsignor Charles Koch.
Sister Carlita taught at schools in Indianapolis and Huntingburg, at St. Benedict and Mater Dei in Evansville, and at St. Ferdinand High School and Academy Immaculate Conception in Ferdinand. She worked at St. Paul Hermitage in Beech Grove, Indiana. In the early 1970s, she served as monastery treasurer and business manager. She was elected prioress of the Sisters of St. Benedict in 1973 and served in that role for eight years. Following her term as prioress, she was director of Kordes Center, administrative assistant at St Joseph Hospital in Huntingburg, and served as chaplain at hospitals in Fort Wayne. She was pastoral associate at St. Anthony Parish in Evansville and at St. Mary’s Parish in Mitchell, Indiana. She most recently worked in supportive services and in prayer ministry at the monastery.
Visitation will be at the monastery on Tuesday, August 16, from 3 to 6:45 p.m. EDT and on Wednesday, August 17, from 2 to 4:15 p.m. A wake service will be held onTuesday at 7 p.m. The funeral Mass will be on Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. in the monastery church followed by burial in the monastery cemetery.
Becher Funeral Home in Ferdinand is in charge of the arrangements.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Sisters of St. Benedict of Ferdinand.
