A funeral Mass for Sister Margaret Ann Schulte was celebrated Dec. 6 at the Theresa Center Chapel at Sancta Maria in Ripa in St. Louis. Sister Margaret Ann died Nov. 30 at Mercy South Hospital in St. Louis following complications from a fall earlier in the day. The School Sister of Notre Dame was 92 years old.
Twin girls Margaret and Madelyn Grace Schulte were born on Feb. 14, 1932, to Joseph and Mabel (Gilmore) Schulte in St. Louis. They were baptized at St. Engelbert Church in St. Louis. Madelyn, who would later take the name Margaret Ann, attended St. Engelbert’s School, which was staffed by the School Sisters of Notre Dame. She won a scholarship to Notre Dame High School in St. Louis, and the twins both enrolled at the school at Sancta Maria in Ripa.
During her freshman year, Madelyn came to the realization that she wished to become a religious sister like her teachers. Her mother was initially reluctant to give her consent and wanted Madelyn to wait until she completed her high school education. However, in March of her junior year, her mother consented. Madelyn applied for admission, and along with two companions, entered the candidature at Sancta Maria in Ripa on Holy Saturday, April 23, 1949. She finished the remaining six weeks of her junior year as a candidate. During the summer, she completed her studies and graduated. She was then sent to Sacred Heart in New Orleans to teach first grade under the guidance and instruction of an experienced teacher. She was received into the novitiate on Aug. 1, 1950, and given the name M. Margaret Ann in honor of her twin sister. She professed first vows on Aug. 2, 1951, and final vows on Aug. 2, 1957.
Sister Margaret Ann earned a bachelor’s degree in history from the former Notre Dame College in St. Louis in 1963, a master’s degree in political science and government from the University of Notre Dame in 1970, and a master’s degree in education and social studies from Washington University in St. Louis in 1973.
Sister Margaret Ann ministered in Catholic education for more than 60 years. She taught elementary children at St. Francis Solanus in Quincy, Illinois, for 11 years and at St. Francis Borgia in Washington for four years. She taught secondary students at Rosary High School in north St. Louis County for 10 years and Rosati-Kain High School in St. Louis, for three years. In addition, she was the administrator at Rosati-Kain High School for six years.
In 1985, she began what would ultimately become a 27-year posting, teaching at De Smet Jesuit High School in St. Louis. At De Smet Jesuit High School, she was a witness to melding the charism of Blessed Theresa of Jesus Gerhardinger and St. Ignatius of Loyola. In 2000, she was one of the nominees for the St. Louis Archdiocesan Catholic Women’s Award.
She retired from formal education in 2012. During her retirement years, she volunteered at various places throughout the St. Louis area. She is remembered as a kind, patient, understanding, selfless person with a ready wit and a mentor to younger teachers.
Sister Margaret Ann is survived by her sister, Marian Holba; nieces, nephews, extended family members, School Sisters of Notre Dame, SSND associates and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents, Mabel and Joseph Schulte, and her twin sister, Margaret Holba. Burial was in the Sancta Maria in Ripa cemetery.
