A Mass of Christian Burial for Sister Mary Cecilia Schlebecker, D.C., was celebrated Oct. 22, 2015, at Seton Residence Chapel in Evansville, Ind. Burial followed at St. Joseph Cemetery in Evansville. Sister Mary Cecilia died Oct. 18, 2015, at Seton Residence. She was 81 years of age and 61 years vocation as a Daughter of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul.
Born in Fort Wayne, Ind., Oct. 24, 1933, Sister Mary Cecilia was one of five children born to Erwin C. and Emma Catherine (Weisman) Schlebecker. Sister graduated from Central Catholic High School in Fort Wayne in 1951, and she entered the Daughters of Charity in St. Louis, Mo., in November 1953.
Sister Mary Cecilia earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and French from Regis College in Denver, Colo., in 1969. She also earned a certificate in gerontology from the University of Alabama in Birmingham, Ala., in 1985.
After initial formation, Sister Mary Cecilia remained in St. Louis where she was a business trainee at DePaul Hospital (1955—1956) and then served in the provincial treasurer’s office (1956—1957). Sister served as business manager for St. Vincent Hospital in Birmingham (1957—1967). Following completion of her bachelor’s degree, Sister served as the executive secretary for the Daughters of Charity Shared Services Association in St. Louis (1969—1970). She then served as provincial secretary of the former East Central Province in Chicago and then in Evansville (1971—1973). Her next assignment was at the Daughters of Charity Motherhouse in Paris, France, where she served as secretary (1973—1981). After returning to the States, Sister ministered in elderly outreach at Allen Memorial Home in Mobile, Ala. (1981—1982); as a secretary at St. Vincent Hospital in Birmingham (1982—1985); as executive secretary at St. Vincent’s Foundation in Birmingham, where she was also the Community’s local superior (1983—1985); as assistant administrator at Seton Haven in Montgomery, Ala. (1985 —1986); and as director of admissions and executive secretary at Allen Memorial Home in Mobile (1986—1988). Sister Mary Cecilia was then appointed administrator at Villa Maria in Birmingham (1988—1997). She ministered as foundation office assistant at St. Vincent Hospital in Birmingham (1997—2007), and then she joined the Ministry of Prayer at Seton Residence in Evansville in 2007, where she lived until the time of her death.
Sister Mary Cecilia was preceded in death by her parents; and her brothers John, David and Eugene Schlebecker; and her sister, Elaine Rankin. She is survived by loving nieces and nephews, her Sisters in Community and many friends.