Sister Nancy Kohloff

Sister Nancy Kohloff was born on January 14,1942, to her parents, William and Irene, who made their home in Kenosha, Wisconsin. William was an engineer and Irene was a homemaker who also did some payroll office work.  Two-and-a-half years later, the family welcomed Nancy’s younger brother, Dennis.  

The family belonged to St. George Parish, which is where Nancy was baptized and confirmed. She attended the parish’s grade school, then began secondary school at St. Mary High School. She transferred to the new St. Joseph High School when it opened in 1958, and it was there that Nancy was taught by the School Sisters of St. Francis.

Sister Mary Acerbi also grew up in Kenosha remembers when Nancy was in high school, she worked at Kleins Bakery and Meat Market. Sister Mary’s father Mario worked there as a butcher, and she said he told her that Nancy was very dedicated and never missed a day of work.

After graduating from St. Joe’s in 1959, Nancy continued her connection to the School Sisters by attending Alverno College, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in 1963. Nancy entered St. Joseph Convent as a postulant in August of that year. Besides having our sisters as her teachers, Nancy had two second cousins who were already sisters in our congregation, Sister Kevin and Sister Theonard. Her classmates remember that she was responsible for encouraging them to vote for St. Paul for their class patron.

Sister Nancy made her first profession on August 11, 1966, and she ministered for the entirety of her religious life in the state of Wisconsin. Her first assignment came a few weeks after her profession when she began teaching at Our Lady Queen of Peace School in Milwaukee. She returned to her alma mater in Kenosha as a teacher in the late ’60s, then ministered for a number of years as the religious education coordinator for Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary School in Franklin. After serving on the faculty of Dominican High School in Whitefish Bay, Sister Nancy returned to Alverno, where she became the college’s data coordinator.

Sister Nancy made her final profession of vows in 1976, the same year that she began serving as the director of education for the Milwaukee Council on Alcoholism. This prominent, community-based nonprofit organization was a key local chapter affiliated with the National Council on Alcoholism. During Sister Nancy’s tenure, the council began expanding its focus from strictly managing alcoholism to encompassing broader drug dependencies. The council raised public awareness of the disease and helped individuals struggling with substance abuse addiction / to get assistance at local treatment centers. Sister Nancy served in this education capacity for nearly a decade and later served in an executive director role for the council in West Bend.

When Sister Nancy’s 25th Jubilee was approaching in 1989, Sister’s early connection to Klein’s Bakery made an unexpectedly sweet return. Nancy’s mother remembered that Sister Mary Acerbi had baked cakes for Kleins all those years earlier, so she reached out to Sister Mary and asked her to make a surprise Jubilee cake for the occasion.

Sister Nancy ministered in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee for almost the entirety of her religious life. The exception was her service in Dodgeville, in the Diocese of Madison, where she served as the area manager for Lutheran Social Services. As the organization’s manager in Iowa County, Sister Nancy helped people in need connect to affordable housing resources, children and family services, and life skills training. Her extensive experience with the Council on Alcoholism was particularly valuable in helping those who turned to Lutheran Social Services for mental health and substance recovery resources.

Later in her vocation, Sister Nancy’s varied experiences as an educator and administrator facilitated her work as a consultant to organizations and companies across southeastern Wisconsin. She was a valuable asset to our congregation’s international office of mission advancement, where she served as a volunteer until it was necessary for her to take medical leave.

Sister Nancy faced significant health challenges with impressive bravery, and with the support of her brother Dennis and Sister Shirley Forbes. Sister Shirley served as Sister Nancy’s companion and caregiver for decades, and the two sisters often enjoyed playing golf and traveling together. In Nancy’s honor, Dennis made a generous donation to the congregation for the beautiful refurbishment of the chapel at Sacred Heart.

Today our congregation offers our thanks to the caregivers at Francis House, Badger Hospice, and Easter Seals for their loving care and support of Sister Nancy. You truly were the face of Christ for Nancy as she prepared for her final journey.

Sister Nancy, thank you for blessing us with your living among us as a School Sister of St. Francis. Through your religious vocation, you sought to teach others, offer them healing, and guide them to reach their life’s full potential. May you now enjoy the fullness of God’s vision as you greet your Creator in the company of your loving family, friends, and sisters in heaven.