A funeral Mass for Sister Marie Christine Berner was celebrated Feb. 13 in the chapel at The Sarah Community in Bridgeton.
Sister Christine, a Franciscan Sister of Mary for 61 years, died Feb. 8 at The Sarah Community. She was 78.
Born Marjorie Ann Berner in St. Louis, she entered the Sisters of St. Mary in 1955, received the name Sister Marie Christine and professed final vows in 1963. (The Sisters of St. Mary reunited with the Sisters of St. Francis of Maryville, Mo., as the Franciscan Sisters of Mary in 1987.)
Sister Christine earned a bachelor's degree in nursing at St. Louis University in 1964. She began work at St. Clare Hospital in Baraboo, Wis., where she served as nursing supervisor from 1964-73. After two years as staff nurse at SSM Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital, she moved to St. Mary's Hospital in Kansas City, Mo., where she served as staff nurse, head nurse, nursing supervisor and supervisor of the critical care unit until 1987. She later worked as a nurse at St. Mary's Manor Nursing Home in Blue Springs, Mo., and in the rehab unit at St. Mary's Hospital in Blue Springs, Mo.
In 2008, Sister Christine moved back to St. Louis. She served as convent sacristan and extraordinary minister of the Eucharist, volunteered in the FSM prayer program, served as companion on sisters' doctor appointments and chauffeured sisters to appointments and shopping trips. She moved to The Sarah Community in December 2011 and continued to volunteer there.
Survivors include two sisters, Rose Aubuchon of O'Fallon and Jeanne C. West of Florissant. Burial was at Resurrection Cemetery.