Sister Liz Heese cherished her roots in her family, who farmed near Earling, Iowa. Born in 1936, she was the ninth of eleven children born to Peter and Isabel Wilwerding Heese. Her three brothers and seven sisters preceded her in death. They were Marie Dorothy (Dorothy), Rita, Bernice, Isabell, Edward (Eddy), Owen, Mildred (Mic), Helen Therese (Terri), Norma, and Lawrence (Larry). Her only living sister-in-law, Jean Heese, and nieces and nephews Mark, Jill, Heidi, Sharon, and Marla, are with us today.

As a young person, Liz knew that God was calling her to religious life, but she waited for a year after high school to decide whether to enter the Dubuque Franciscans or the School Sisters of St. Francis.  She had aunts in both congregations. We are surely glad that she decided to join the School Sisters!  When she was received, she was given the name Pierre Marie, in honor of her father Peter.

Family was very important to Liz, and she treasured opportunities to spend time with her siblings and their families. Her extended family was often blessed when she would lend her beautiful singing voice to special occasions, with one of their favorites being Ave Maria. Liz knew what each of her 41 nieces and nephews were doing and rejoiced in welcoming the next generation of great nieces and nephews to the family.  Yearly gatherings with her nieces were a special treat for her. She was already plotting the 2026 gathering in Milwaukee around her 90th birthday and 70th Jubilee in June 2026.

That spirit of family went with her as she built warm relationships with the sisters in the class of 1956 and in each of her ministries and living groups over the years. Our living group at the White House in Milwaukee shared life with her for over 20 years until she moved to Sacred Heart.

Liz was committed to ministry throughout her life of service, and she talked of the importance of love and care to the quality of her ministry. She brought an inclusive warmth to her role as an elementary teacher at Naperville and McHenry, Illinois; as a chemistry and Spanish teacher at Ryan High School (where now-Cardinal Blaise Cupich was in her homeroom as well as in her Spanish class); and as a principal at Pope John XXIII High School in Elgin, Nebraska, Ryan High School and Our Lady of Lourdes Elementary School in Omaha, and at Shelby County Catholic Schools in Earling, Panama, and Harlan Iowa.

After her service at Ryan, where she helped ease the pain of closing the school for the faculty, students, and families it had served, she worked with other projects that drew on her skills as a teacher and leader. With Sister Jo Ann Miller, she became engaged as a consultant and board member of the SRI Human Resources for Ministry Institute. She was instrumental in the original research that resulted in the Perceiver Interview for Religious, used by many vocation and formation personnel in religious orders of women and men.  She was a significant contributor and experienced trainer for many. With Sister Maureen Connolly, she developed and led programs in religious education for adults and for families, as well as retreats and seminars in western Iowa and eastern Nebraska.

Just as she had brought out the best in her faculties as a school leader, a key to Liz’s ministry of leadership in the School Sisters of St. Francis community was her focus on developing others. As a provincial leader in the Western Province, she had a quiet style that brought out and nurtured the skills of others. She encouraged the developing leadership of young sisters in the west and gave wise counsel as they grew in ministry. While she was not always the first to speak, when she spoke, others listened.

As a member of the United States Provincial team, she helped to address the emerging needs of the province at a critical time in our history. During and after her provincial service, she was instrumental in the development of the system of care for our retired sisters at Campbellsport, Our Lady of the Angels, and Sacred Heart. As director of Managed Health and Housing, she brought her same strengths and experience in developing others to her relationships with those who implemented the system of care.

At Liz’s passing, Cathy Kelling, Barb TeStroete, and Janet Halfmann shared some of Liz’s impact as she collaborated with the sisters and staff in Campbellsport in preparation for the move to Sacred Heart. I want to share a few of Janet’s words, which echo the experience of all three:

“Sister Liz led by example, always making sure that the sister she was working with at the time was part of the discussion and planning process. Her direct, honest, and loving conversations were key in guiding the sisters toward the best placement for them. She would manage each conversation delicately, sharing with each sister the reasoning about which place would be the best choice for her and helping her be part of the final decision.  Sister Liz’s patience and understanding as I asked questions about what I observed helped me develop my ability to have honest conversations with love and empathy, and to plant seeds early to allow sisters to have time to prepare to accept the loss of some independence in order to receive the necessary care and support.”

As Liz began to need more care at Sacred Heart, she told us that she was experiencing the kind of care that she had helped to design.

Those lucky enough to have worked or lived with Liz knew her as a deeply spiritual woman, whose insights in shared prayer and discussion led us to deeper understandings.  When faced with difficult situations, Liz always chose to be in charge of her attitude, recognizing how much she had to be grateful for.

She was also fun to be with, a card player who enjoyed the wins but could weather any losses. She loved to cheer on the Brewers and the Packers; and when they lost she would say, “Just remember that the season is long.”  She loved to sing and was a faithful choir member and cantor throughout the years.  At the White House, we enjoyed her cooking, especially her runza and her casseroles. We benefitted from her cleaning skills, and we appreciated her as our “Sister Fix-It” when anything broke.

We are missing you, Liz, but we are heartened when we think of your grand reunion with the Heese siblings and the School Sisters of St. Francis who have gone before you. We know that the God whom you served so well in your life is giving you a new life of eternal love.

Sister Mary Diez