The funeral Mass for Sister Edward Cecilia Schniedermeier, CSJ, was celebrated May 15 at Nazareth Living Center in south St. Louis County. Sister Edward died May 12. She was 91 and had been a Sister of St. Joseph of Carondelet for 72 years.

Born Audrey Marcella Schniedermeier, she attended St. Cecelia School and St. Joseph’s Academy, then entered the Sisters of St. Joseph among 36 women on Sept. 15, 1945. In March of 1946, she received the habit and name Sr. Edward Cecilia — Edward after her father and Cecilia after her parish, St. Cecilia. When given the option of returning to her baptismal name, her mother asked her not to change because her father, who had no sons, was so proud of her. So she kept her religious name.

Sister Edward made final profession on August 15, 1951. She received a bachelor’s degree in Latin from Fontbonne College in 1958 and a master’s degree in education, curriculum/instruction from Marquette University in Milwaukee in 1967.

She spent her entire 54 years in active ministry as a teacher, including the first 10 at grade schools in the Archdiocese of St. Louis. She taught at Valle Grade School in Ste. Genevieve (1948-51), St. Anthony of Padua in St. Louis (1951-55) and Sts. John and James in Ferguson (1955-58). Then, she became a high school Latin teacher, serving at schools in Chicago, Kansas City, Mo., and Indianapolis for the next 34 years. She was a substitute teacher in the Archdiocese of Indianapolis for 10 years, until 2002, when she served in a ministry of prayer and presence at Nazareth Living Center.

Survivors include two sisters, Patricia Kohlberg and Marlene Christiana.