Sister Mary Paula Jacobs' Obituary
Sister Mary Paula Jacobs of the Holy Cross, age 76 of Oshkosh, passed away peacefully on Tuesday evening, December 9, 2008 in the Franciscan Courts. Sister Paua was born on September 11, 1932 in Appleton and given the name Marjorie Helen in Baptism. She was the daughter of Leonard and Helen (Schwab) Jacobs, both of whom are deceased. Sister M. Paula was one of eight children, four boys, (Robert, Donald, Richard and Eugene) and three girls, (Nancy, Carol Jean and Barbara). Her memory will be cherished by her two brothers: Robert and Donald; her two sisters: Nancy and Barbara. When Sister Paula was five years old, two of her brothers, Richard and Eugene, who were next to her in age, drowned at the same time and two years later her second youngest sister died in infancy.
Sister Paula always felt drawn to be with and for the poor, and she desired to become a social worker and this desire was never to leave her. She then decided to become nurse, and entered the School of Nursing in Oshkosh. Sister entered the community of the Sisters of the Sorrowful Mother on January 3, 1951 at the Motherhouse in Milwaukee. She became a novice on August 12, 1951, and took her first vows in 1953 and her final vows in 1958. Sister celebrated her Silver Jubilee on August 15, 1978 and her Golden Jubilee on September 24, 2000.
Sister Paula began ministering as a nurse at Mercy Hospital in Oshkosh. She served as Surgery Supervisor at Estherville, IA in both Oshkosh and Port Washington, WI. She held many positions in SSM hospitals in Marshfield and Stevens Point, before taking her CPE training in LaCrosse. From then she served as Chaplain in Rhinelander, WI the on to Sokaogan Chippewa Reservation in Crandon, WI, from 1993 to 1998. Sister also served two terms as Assistant Provincial of the Milwaukee Province from 1976 to 1986. She became thne Local Community Leader at St. Clare in Broken Arrow, OK and ministered to the Sisters here from 1999 to 2005. Sister Paula then retired to SSM Franciscan Courts on June 26, 2005.
During her life, Sister Paula represented the Community on the Board of Directors of SSM Ministry Corporation, on the Good Samaritan Health Center in Merrill, WI., and the National Association of Catholic Chaplains. Shewas also chairperson of the Pastoral Care Directors' Network. Although Sister Paula retired, she kept actively involved in many of these and other organizations and served on serveral Communit Committees.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:00 a.m., Friday, December 12, 2008 in the Chapel of Franciscan Courts, 815 S. Westhaven Dr., Oshkosh, with Rev. William Kuhr as celebrant. Burial will be in Riverside Cemetery. Homecoming will be at 4:00 p.m., Thursday, December 11, 2008, in the Franciscan Courts. Online condolences may be made at: fissbillspoklasny.com
Fiss & Bills-Poklasny Funeral Home 870 W. South Park Ave. 920-235-1170
What’s your fondest memory of Sister?
What’s a lesson you learned from Sister?
Share a story where Sister's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Sister you’ll never forget.
How did Sister make you smile?