Sister Elizabeth Marie Klepec OSF

Sister Elizabeth Marie Klepec, OSF (1928 – 2020) passed away on March 8, 2020.  She was the fourth of six children born to the late Joseph and Mary (Stefanich) Klepec.  She was preceded in death by her two brothers, Joseph and Rev. George Klepec and two sisters Marie and Betty Klepec. She is survived by her sister, Dolores Klepec who resides at Our Lady of Angels Retirement Home. Sister Elizabeth Mari was a treasured member of the Sisters of St. Francis of Mary Immaculate, Joliet for 73 years.

Born and raised in Joliet, Illinois, Sister Elizabeth Marie attended St. Joseph Grade School, in Joliet (Class of ’41) and Joliet Township High School (Class of ’45).  After joining the Sisters of St. Francis in 1946, she received her Bachelor’s Degree in English at the College of St. Francis (now the University of St. Francis) in Joliet and her Master’s Degree in English at DePaul University in Chicago, IL.  In 1981 she earned a Certificate in Spirituality at Regis College in Toronto, Canada. Sister Elizabeth Marie was a recipient of the 1995 Joanne Placher Award from the then College of St. Francis.

During her seventeen years as a high school teacher, Sister Elizabeth Marie taught at St. Mary High School in Columbus, Ohio; SS. Peter and Paul High School and Sacred Heart (Englewood) in Chicago and St. Francis Academy (now Joliet Catholic Academy) in Joliet.  In 1969, after serving two years as a formation director for the congregation, she became one of the founding members of St. Clare House of Prayer in Kankakee, IL. Except for one term of office as the Congregation’s Vice-President (1976-1980), she ministered as a core member and spiritual retreat director at St. Clare’s. She also served as the spiritual assistant for the Secular Franciscan Fraternity of St. Clare.  She remained at the House of Prayer until 2008.  At that time, she moved back to Joliet ministering as a Spiritual Director until 2018 when her health began to fail.

The wake for Sister Elizabeth Marie will be at Tezak Funeral Home, 1211 Plainfield Road, Joliet, IL 60435 on Monday, March 16, 2020 from 2:00 – 4:00 p.m., with a Prayer Service at 4:00 p.m.  The Funeral Procession will leave from Tezak Funeral Home on Tuesday morning, March 17, 2020 at 9:00 a.m.  Interment will take place at St. Joseph Cemetery in Joliet, IL where she will be buried with her parents and siblings in the family plot. A Memorial Mass will be held at a later date at Our Lady of Angels.

Memorials may be made to the Sisters of St. Francis of Mary Immaculate, 1433 Essington Road, Joliet, IL  60435