School Sister of St. Francis Mary Ruth Schweisthal, 99, died Dec. 24, 2018, in Milwaukee.

Born in Aurora, Illinois, Sister Mary Ruth was received into the School Sisters of St. Francis in 1938 and made her final vows in 1946.

Sister Mary Ruth ministered in education in Illinois, Wisconsin and Nebraska for more than eight decades. In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at St. Martin (1944-1946); St. Benedict High School (1953-1956 and 1967-1968); Alvernia High School (1958-1967 and 1970-1973), where she also served as financial manager (1983-1987); and De LaSalle Institute (1969-1970). She served as secretary (1976-1977) and treasurer (1977-1983) for her congregation’s Holy Name Province, based in Chicago. She also served in Chicago as office manager for Friends of the Children (1990-1994), and as building manager for St. Priscilla Convent (1994-1995), where she also was as a receptionist and driver (1995-2002) 

In retirement, Sister Mary Ruth served in the ministry of prayer and presence at St. Joseph Convent, Campbellsport, Wisconsin (2002-2013), and at Sacred Heart in Milwaukee from 2013 until the time of her death.