Sr. Maureen was born in Denver, Colorado on June 15, 1937 as the oldest girl of six children born to Frank and Maurine Kerrigan Kottenstette.  This first baby girl who had three older brothers was baptized Joan Ann.  Maureen said that she felt because she was the oldest girl, she may have missed out on some of her childhood.  She felt that she needed to help her mother. And especially after her father died when she was just a senior in high school. 

Maureen loved her family and was happy that she could help her mother. She worked all through high school and would give all the money she earned to her mother.  The two of them were very close.  Maureen was gifted in being able to fix her mother’s hair and one summer day her mother asked to sit down and talk. 

Mrs. Kottenstette asked Maureen what she wanted to do with her life after she graduated from high school. And Maureen said, “Well I am going to help you take care of the kids”. Her mother told her that she didn’t need her help and that she “wanted her daughter to do what you’re supposed to do.”  It was after that conversation that Maureen took the time to think about her future.  Earlier in high school she had thought about entering the convent and since she was taught by the Sisters of St. Joseph she gave our community some consideration. Until one day she began to read Maryknoll Magazine, a magazine her mother had ordered and she said she read each issue from cover to cover.  Deciding that she wanted to be a foreign missionary. 

The one Sister of St. Joseph who most influenced Maureen was Sr. Agnes Marie Baer.  She and Maureen talked at great length and when Sr. Agnes Marie heard that the only reason Maureen was looking at another community was her desire to be a missionary.  Agnes Marie pointed out that we would be opening missions in Japan and eventually in South America.  So her mind was made up and she entered our community on September 15, 1955. 

The following March 19, she received the habit and name Sr. Maureen Francis.  She got her first degree in Elementary Education from Fontbonne and her Master’s degree in Theology from the University of Notre Dame in 1969. 

Maureen really appreciated getting her degree in Theology because as she said, it served her well when she worked with adults especially.  She liked sharing and discussing the documents of Vatican II and in various parishes she was the one who involved parishioners in discussions about the importance of their being really committed to Jesus. 

One Pastor however, called her a “heretic” because of her “outlandish thinking” which she and the other sisters thought was quite humorous.  But you can’t stay in that kind of situation so she left teaching and began doing Parish ministry in parishes in Kansas City and Denver. 

Although she always longed to be a missionary, she finally accepted the fact, that her ministry would be here in the United States.  She began to work with the Movement for a Better World where she served on their Retreat Team.  It was 1974 and she was so taken with their message which she said took a whole approach to teaching theology and having spirituality as the basis for their foundation.  She went through their training program in Buffalo, New York and at the end of that was sent to California to be the Team Director for the group there.  She said the team was made up of a priest, two lay people and herself and they went from parish to parish up and down the west coast which was such an energizing ministry for her.   

Maureen said her ministry was so varied from teaching school, to working in parishes and yet her very favorite time was working with adults who were mentally challenged.  She was involved in a program called “CHARG”.  She found that these wonderful folks were the most loving, funny, delightful, creative people she had ever met.  She felt they blessed her more than she blessed them.  It was in Denver and Maureen reached out to Sr. Jean Iadevito to come do artwork with them.  She said it was such a wonderful experience for all of them. 

Toward the end of her life, Maureen shared that she had enormous gratitude in her heart for the community which allowed her to find many of her own ministries. She said she had at least seven different careers in her life and those “flowed out of the desire to be of service where the need was” and she just felt so blessed. 

We rejoice with you today Maureen because we know that you were a blessing to many people over your years of ministry and now YOU are being blessed by the God you so lovingly served these past 70 years.   

May she rest in peace. AMEN! ALLELUIA! 

Survivors:  S. Mary Kay Kottenstette, CSJ (sister) of Denver, CO; Teresa Jensen (sister) of Denver, CO; John Kottenstette (brother) of Highlands Ranch, CO; Michael Kottenstette (brother), of Laramie, WY; Jim Kottenstette (brother), of Denver, CO

Funeral Arrangements: Wednesday, June 25, 2025     

Mass of the Resurrection: 10 a.m.      

Nazareth Living Center Chapel

2 Nazareth Lane, St. Louis, MO 63129

Burial: Cremains to Resurrection Cemetery

Memorial contributions may be made to the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, St. Louis Province, 6400 Minnesota Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63111-2899.

 Education: Bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Fontbonne College in 1960 and a master’s of theology from the University of Notre Dame in 1969.

MISSIONS: