Sr. Bertha (Mary Austin) Fischer, Asc

SR. BERTHA (MARY AUSTIN) FISCHER, ASC, 8 3 , of Adorers of the Blood of Christ, Ruma Center, Ruma, Illinois, passed away at 4:00 pm, Saturday, September 1, 2018 at Saint Louis University Hospital, St. Louis, Missouri.

She was born to the late Joseph and Elizabeth (nee Tebbe) Fischer on July 3, 1935 in St. Rose, Illinois.

She made her first vows on July 1, 19 57 and final vows on July 1, 19 62 . She had been professed for 61 years.

S r. Bertha's life ministry was dedicated to fostering communication through languages, first as a teacher, then as translator. For almost 25 years, she taught French to high school students. More than half of those years were spent at St. Pius X in Festus, MO. She also taught at Mater Dei in Breese. When Assumption High School and St. Teresa Academy in East St. Louis joined in 1974 to become co-ed, she taught there for ten years.

For almost 17 years she was missioned in Rome, Italy, where she worked in hospitality as translator and for four years as a member of the General Council Leadership Team. She served briefly in St. Louis at De Mattias Hall, the ASC House of Studies and spend several months in La Paz, Bolivia. She received her Bachelor’s degree in French from St. Louis University in 1960, and a Master’s in French, from University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana, Illinois in 1967.

Sr. Bertha is survived by her seven sisters – Lidwina Schumacher, Mary (Stanley) Goestenkors, Helen Fiedler, Geraldine (Jairo) Mejia, Agnes (David) Rasure, Irma (John) Gapter, and Angela (Donald) Karban; two brothers – Joseph (Mary Lou) Fischer, Jr. and Robert Fischer; and many nieces, nephews and members of the ASC community.

She was p receded in death by her p arents, two b rothers – Charles and John Fischer , her s ister-in-

law – Donna Fischer, two b rothers-in-law – Clarence Schumacher and Paul Fiedler, and her aunts

in the ASC community – Sr. Priscilla Fischer and Sr. Veronica Tebbe.

Mass of the Resurrection:
11:00 am, Friday, September 7, 2018

Ruma Center Chapel, Ruma, Illinois

Interment:
Convent Cemetery

Ruma, Illinois

Visitation:
Thursday – 4:30 pm – 8:00 pm

Friday – 8:00 am – 11:00 am

Ruma Center Chapel, Ruma, Illinois

P rayer S ervice:
Thursday evening at 7:00 pm

Donations in memory of Sr. Bertha Fischer may be sent to the ASC Retirement Fun d , 4233 Sulphur Avenue, St. Louis, MO, 63109 or online at www.adorers.org “Support our Ministries”