A funeral Mass for Sister Xavier Fik was celebrated March 6 in the Lally Room on the Cardinal Carberry Campus of Cardinal Ritter Senior Services in Shrewsbury. Sister Fik died March 1 at age 102.
Born in Chicago Heights, Illinois, Sister Fik entered the Franciscan Sisters of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in 1931 and made final vows in 1938. She served as a teacher, principal, organist and seamstress.
In the Archdiocese of St. Louis, Sister Xavier served at St. Stanislaus School in St. Louis, St. Casimir School in St. Louis, Immaculate Conception School in Augusta, St. Adalbert School in St. Louis, Villa St. Joseph in Ferguson, Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in Ferguson, St. Mary Parish in Bridgeton, St. Bartholomew Parish in Hazelwood, and Our Lady of the Pillar Parish in Creve Coeur. She served in Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Tennessee, Indiana and Ohio. She also taught at Sts. Peter and Paul School in Pulaskifield, Missouri.
Sister Xavier later lived at the Cardinal Ritter Senior Services campus in Shrewsbury.
As principal at St. Charles School in West Monroe, Louisiana, a Catholic school specifically built for African-American children, she ordered caps and gowns for the 16 girls and boys who were to graduate from eighth grade. The company refused to sell the items because of the children’s race. Sister Xavier then ensured that her children wore caps and gowns for their graduation by making them herself.
Sister Xavier was known as an excellent seamstress and enjoyed dancing, especially the polka.
Survivors include a brother, Joseph Fik. Burial was in Resurrection Cemetery.
