Sister Clarella Werth, who lived her religious vocation as a musician and educator for 83 years, died on March 9, 2022, at Sacred Heart in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Sister was 101 years old.
Sister Clarella was born on June 20, 1920, in Schoenchen, Kansas, the daughter of Frank A. and Rosa (Klaus) Werth. She was received into the School Sisters of St. Francis on June 13, 1939, made her first profession of vows on June 21, 1941, and final (perpetual) vows on June 21, 1947.
Sister Clarella is survived by three sisters: Esther Gottschalk of Schoenchen, Rose Ann Zimmerman of Hays, and Alfrieda (Allen) Pfeifer of Hays; and by the School Sisters of St. Francis community with whom she shared her life for more than eight decades.
Beginning in 1941, Sister Clarella ministered in Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, and Nebraska.
In the Archdiocese of Chicago, Sister served as teacher and organist at Our Lady of Good Counsel School in Chicago (1945-1949).
In the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend, Sister served as teacher and organist at St. Rose of Lima School in Monroeville, Indiana (1957-1962).
In the Diocese of Joliet, Sister served as teacher and organist at St. Walter School in Roselle, Illinois (1962-1963).
In the Diocese of Sioux City, Sister taught at Immaculate Conception School in Cherokee, Iowa (1967-1971).
In the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, Sister served as teacher and organist at St. Lawrence School, St. Lawrence (1941-1945), and at Sacred Heart School in Allenton (1949-1955).
In the Archdiocese of Omaha, Sister served as teacher and organist at St. Joseph School in Pierce (1955-1957), SS Peter and Paul School in Butte (1963-1967), and taught at Our Lady of Lourdes School in Omaha (1971-1992) where she also served as tutor ((1992-1993) and as a support staff volunteer (1993-2001).
In her retirement, Sister Clarella served in the ministry of prayer and presence at St. Joseph Convent in Campbellsport, Wisconsin (2002-2013), and at Sacred Heart in Milwaukee from 2013 until the time of her death.
She was preceded in death by her parents; brothers, Alvin Werth, Eugene Werth, Gilbert Werth and infant brother Gilbert Werth and sisters, Merilda Randa, Alice Windholz, Viola Rohr, Frances Dreiling, and infant sister, Alice Werth.
A funeral Mass will be celebrated on March 17, 2022, at St. Joseph Chapel in Milwaukee, followed by a private burial service at Mt. Olivet Cemetery in Milwaukee.
Due to safety measures that have been taken to protect health and safety in response to COVID-19, attendance at Sister Clarella’s Funeral Mass in St. Joseph Chapel is limited to sisters and associates.
We encourage you to view her Funeral Mass on Thursday, March 17, beginning at 11 a.m. on our community’s Ustream channel. You may watch the broadcast live or view the archived program later. Simply click on, or type in, this website address to watch: https://video.ibm.com/channel/school-sisters-of-st-francis
In lieu of flowers, donations in Sister Clarella’s memory may be sent to the School Sisters of St. Francis, 1501 S. Layton Blvd., Milwaukee, WI 53215.