A funeral Mass for Sister Florence (Bernarda) Korte, ASC, was celebrated Sept. 12 at the chapel at Benedictine Living Community in Belleville, Illinois. Sister Florence died Sept. 2 at Belleville Memorial Hospital. She was 92 years old, professed for 75 years, and looking forward to her anniversary celebration in early October.
Baptized Florence, she was the seventh of 12 children born to Ben and Mary (Toennies) Korte of Damiansville, Illinois. She made her first profession on July 1, 1947, and her final vows on July 1, 1952.
Sister Florence attended the Domestic Service Apostolate Institute in St. Louis, the Food Management Institute in Canon City, Colorado, and the Council of Christian Service and the Restaurant in Chicago, Illinois. She graduated in the field of food service from Fontbonne University in 1972. Her main ministry of food service and housekeeping spanned 35 years and included both small convents and large institutions in Illinois and Missouri.
Along with other Adorers of the Blood of Christ from Ruma, Sister Florence recently moved to Benedictine Living Community on the grounds of the Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows near Belleville. Her final ministry was one of prayer. Sister Florence was preceded in death by her parents, her brothers George (Veronica), Joe, Ferdinand, Edmund (Agnes), Raymond (Jeannie); her sisters Marie (Louis) Rolves, Alvina (Francis) Luitjohan, Alice (John) Luitjohan, and Sister Mary Judith, ASC. In addition, two aunts, Sisters Mary Gerva and Johanita Toennies and two great aunts, Sisters Rose and Augusta Klostermann, all members of the ASC community, preceded her in death.
She is survived by her brothers Cyril “Pete” (Jane) Korte, by Jerome “Dick” (Clara) Korte, by nieces and nephews, and by members of the ASC community.
Burial was to be at Convent Cemetery in Ruma, Illinois.
