Obituary

Sister Lorraine Schmitz spent six decades as an educator in Nebraska and Iowa

Sister Lorraine Schmitz faithfully lived out her religious vocation as an educator in Nebraska and Iowa for 60 years.

Sister Lorraine, a member of the School Sisters of St. Francis, died in Milwaukee on Dec. 17. She was 80.

A funeral Mass was held on Dec. 29 at St. Joseph Chapel, with burial at Mt. Olivet Cemetery, both in Milwaukee.

Born on June 6, 1942, in Harlan, Iowa, Sister Lorraine entered the School Sisters of St. Francis on June 13, 1960. She made her first profession of vows in 1962 and her final vows in 1967.

In the Archdiocese of Omaha, Sister Lorraine taught at St. Patrick School in Fremont (1967-68), the former Our Lady of the Angels (OLA) Montessori School in Omaha (1968-69), St. Wenceslaus in Omaha (1982-85) and La Petite Academy in Omaha (1985-86). She also served as director of education at St. Wenceslaus (1983-85) and OLA Montessori School (1986-87).

After retiring in 2008, Sister Lorraine volunteered at New Cassel Retirement Center in Omaha until 2015, when she moved to Milwaukee. She served in the ministry of prayer and presence at Sacred Heart, the School Sisters of St. Francis’ continuum of care convent, until she died.

Sister Lorraine is survived by a sister, Arlene Hodapp of Erie Park, Colorado; many nieces and nephews; and the School Sisters of St. Francis Community.

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