Sister Genevieve Pfeifer dies at age 103

COLORADO SPRINGS. Sister of St. Francis of Perpetual Adoration Genevieve Pfeifer (formerly Sister Damian) died Oct. 28 at age 103 at Mount Saint Francis Nursing Center, where she had resided since 2014. Mass of Christian Burial took place at St. Francis of Assisi Church in Colorado Springs, followed by burial in the Mount St. Francis Cemetery.

Sister Genevieve was born on March 21, 1917, in Lindsay, Nebraska, the seventh of nine children born to Thomas and Catherine (Martischang) Pfeifer. Sister Genevieve’s siblings — five brothers and three sisters — have preceded her in death.

Sister Genevieve entered the Sisters of St. Francis of Perpetual Adoration on Jan. 6, 1934, professing her final vows on Aug. 12, 1941. In 2019, she celebrated her 85th Jubilee.  Sister spent her years sharing her gifts in religious life in domestic services. 

She ministered in Nebraska, Kansas, New Mexico and Colorado before moving to Mount St. Francis in 2000.  Sister was especially drawn to serve the poor.  She had a tender Franciscan heart; a gracious, kind and joy-filled spirit with the delightful sense of humor of one who liked to tell jokes, stories and sing fun tunes.

Sister Genevieve is survived by her nephew, Msgr. Robert Nienaber of the Archdiocese of Omaha; her niece, Sister Jane Nienaber, OSF, of Joliet, Illinois; and numerous nieces, nephews, great and great-great nieces and nephews.