A Mass of Christian Burial for Sister Catherine Witte, D.C., was celebrated Sept. 5, 2013, at the DePaul Chapel on the Daughters of Charity campus in Albany, N.Y. Burial followed at St. Agnes Cemetery in Menands, N.Y.
Sister Catherine died Sept. 3, 2013, at 93 years of age at St. Louise House in Albany. In May 2013, she celebrated 67 years of vocation as a Daughter of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul.
Born in Utica, N.Y., on Sept. 4, 1919, Sister Catherine (baptized Mary Loyola) was one of three children born to Joseph Francis Witte and Agnes (Wameling) Witte. She graduated from St. Joseph College in Emmitsburg, Md., in 1951 with a Bachelor of Science degree in liberal arts, and from Boston College in 1953 with a Master of Science degree in nursing education.
Sister Catherine joined the Community on May 22, 1946. Sister Catherine began her nursing career at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Bridgeport, Conn. (1947 – 1951). She then served at Carney Hospital in Boston, Mass. (1952 -1953). From there, Sister moved to St. Vincent’s Hospital in Jacksonville, Fla., where she ministered four years (1953 – 1957); then to Saginaw, Mich., to serve at St. Mary’s Hospital (1957 – 1966); on to Providence Hospital in Southfield, Mich. (1966 – 1969); Sisters Hospital in Buffalo, N.Y., where she served as the director of the nursing school (1969 – 1982); St. Margaret’s Hospital in Dorchester, Mass., where she cared for babies and mothers—married and unmarried—as a pastoral care associate (1982 – 1993); and for 14 years, Sister served as pastoral care chaplain in the surgery department at St. Mary’s Hospital in Troy, N.Y. (1993 – 2007), where she worked with dedicated volunteers to share news with families about their loved ones’ surgeries.
In 2007, Sister Catherine entered the Ministry of Prayer at St. Louise House in Albany.
Sister Catherine is predeceased by her parents and her brother Joseph. She is survived by her brother, Lawrence H. Witte of Utica; many nieces and nephews; and her Sisters in Community.