8 December 1938 – 22 January 2023
Mary Clare Gappa was born on Dec. 8, 1938, in Moorhead, Minn., one of two children to William and Hildegard Lorsung Gappa. When Mary Clare was two, the Gappa family relocated to Montana, where she and her brother, Bob, attended grade and high schools. Mary Clare attended Saint Mary College, Leavenworth, and graduated with a BS in elementary education. Later in life, she received a MA in theological studies from the Franciscan School of Theology in Berkeley, Calif. She entered the religious Community of the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth on Aug. 19, 1956, as Sister Clare Marie, later returning to the use of her birth name. She served for 24 years teaching in schools in Kansas, Illinois, Missouri, and her beloved Montana.
Sister Mary Clare was caring, compassionate, and brave. She loved her family, friends, her SCL Community, and all things music. Sister Mary Clare humbly embraced her service to others and the Catholic faith. She was the epitome of the word faithful, making her an unforgettable companion on life’s journey.
Sister Mary Clare Gappa, 84, died on Jan. 22, 2023, at Ross Hall in Leavenworth, Kansas.
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