A memorial Mass for Sister Teresa John Zilch was celebrated Feb. 19 at Nazareth Living Center Chapel in south St. Louis County. Sister Teresa, 91, died Feb. 15 at Nazareth.
Born in Peoria, Illinois, she entered the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet in 1946. Her final profession was in 1952. Sister Teresa received a bachelor’s degree in history from Avila College in 1963 and a master’s degree in elementary education administration from the University of Notre Dame in 1971.
Sister Teresa taught in the St. Louis Archdiocese at Sts. Mary and Joseph School in St. Louis (1961-62), St. Mary School in Bridgeton (1962-63), Most Holy Rosary School in St. Louis (1969-71) and St. Thomas the Apostle School in Florissant (1971-72). She also taught or was a principal at schools in Oklahoma, Colorado, Illinois, Michigan and Kansas City, Missouri.
After 30 years of teaching, she began work as data processor for the St. Louis Province, serving from 1979-83. She served as provincialate secretary from 1984-88, then later served in secretarial work at Mary Queen and Mother Center, Nazareth Living Center and Carondelet Health Corporation in St. Louis. After ministering in Kansas City, Mo., she moved to Nazareth to retire in 2002 but soon became the full-time secretary and did bookkeeping for the provincialate.
Sister Teresa donated her body to science.
