Catherine Kelter, known as Katie, was born into the Kelter family in Waunakee, Wisconsin, on November 25, 1933. Being the second oldest child of six, she quickly learned how to be a contributing member of the hard-working farm family.  Katie did many chores, such as weeding the garden, gathering eggs, feeding the chickens, and even milking the cows (until milking machines were used). Katie learned to cook from her mother and grew to love cooking. When there was time after the farm chores, the Kelter children loved to play baseball.

Katie, along with her brothers and sisters, attended St. Mary School in Pine Bluff, staffed by the School Sisters of St. Francis.  It was a small, two-room school with four grades in each room. Katie loved school and remembers that when she would finish her school work, she would do flash cards with the children in lower grades.  This was a source of pride for her and perhaps the beginning of her future role as a teacher.

Katie remembers her teachers very well with gratitude: Sister Wilburges, Sister Daria, and Sister Emerencia. She admired these religious women. After eighth grade, Katie decided to follow in the footsteps of her aunt and her sister by joining the School Sisters of St. Francis at the motherhouse in Milwaukee. She admits that she was homesick for a while, but her determination to be a sister and her love of learning helped her to adjust.

Katie was received into the School Sisters of St. Francis community in 1951 as Sister Wilhelma. Her name was later changed to Marie William, which she greatly preferred.

At first, Katie wanted to be a homemaker, but her aunt convinced her that her gifts would be better used in the classroom. She began her studies at Alverno and in 1956 received her Bachelor of Arts with a major in History and minors in Education and Mathematics. She was then sent out to teach in various grade schools. She started in the primary grades and gradually moved to higher grades, all of which she loved.

Katie began studies for her master’s degree in New York, but transferred to the University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee and received her Master of Science in Education. This qualified her to be sent to teach history at Pius XI High School.  She remembers relating well to the high school students at Pius.

After three years, the community asked Sister Mary Angela Saeman and Katie to become co-directors of retirement for the retired sisters in the Wisconsin Province.  Some of their duties included overseeing sisters’ housing needs, arranging for doctor appointments, and arranging for surgical care.

When Katie left this position, she began preparing for a new ministry, that of pastoral care. For 25 years, she ministered to the parishioners at St. Mary’s in Janesville, Wisconsin. Katie faithfully served others by forming bible study groups, ministering to those suffering grief from a loss, and providing the parish with a variety of other services. She was dear to many at this parish.

During her lifetime, cooking was a very enjoyable hobby for Sister Katie. She especially liked baking and her specialties were pies, cakes, and bread. For many summers, she served as the main cook at St. Joseph Retreat Center in Baileys Harbor, Wisconsin.

After serving the Church for over 50 years, she returned to the motherhouse in Milwaukee to retire. In the spring of 2011, she moved to Our Lady of the Angels, where she took time to enjoy baseball and football games, play cards with her friends, do crossword and regular puzzles, and read when her eyes permitted it.

When asked for what she was most thankful during her lifetime, Katie cited all the opportunities she was afforded through the School Sisters of St. Francis community, which included a quality education, opportunities for spiritual growth, opportunities to see places of natural beauty within the United States, and the support of the sisters with whom she lived during her life.