A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated May 16 for Franciscan Sister of the Poor Maristella Eickman, 85, at St. Clare Convent chapel in Cincinnati. She died May 12 at the convent.

She served the poor at St. John Social Service Center in Cincinnati and St. Raphael Social Service Center in Hamilton. She also served in Columbus and Quincy, Ill., in housekeeping, laundry and sacristy duties.

She is survived by a sister, Rose Eickman.

Interment was in the convent cemetery.

Sister Ruth Buschur

A Memorial Mass was celebrated for Sister of St. Joseph Ruth Buschur, 91. She died May 9 in Wichita, Kan.

She entered the Sisters of St. Joseph from Guardian Angels Parish in Cincinnati and pronounced her final vows in 1942. She ministered most of her life in community service.

She is survived by her sister, Mary Baraga, and brother, Robert Buschur.

At a future date, interment will take place in Guardian Angels Cemetery in Mt. Washington.

Sister Patricia Smith

Sister of Notre Dame de Namur Patricia Smith (formerly Sister Ann Michael) died May 6 in Chicago at the age of 79.

A native of Dayton, she was a Sister of Notre Dame de Namur for 59 years.

Sister Patricia graduated from St. Mary School and Julienne High School in Dayton. She earned a BA in Latin at Our Lady of Cincinnati College and an MA in Latin at Xavier University. In 1966, she was awarded a Fulbright scholarship and studied at the American Academy in Rome, Italy.

Sister Patricia’s years of ministry were devoted to education — more than 33 in elementary and secondary classrooms. These included the Summit Country Day School, Cardinal Pacelli School and Mt. Notre Dame High School in Cincinnati; Holy Angels School, Carroll High School and Julienne High School in Dayton; Notre Dame High School in Chicago.

From 1984 to 2005, Sister Patricia engaged in a variety of ministries that took her to Arizona and Chicago. In 2005 Sister Patricia moved to Dayton to continue working with adults in the AWE (At Work Education) Program at the Marriott Hotel. She returned to Chicago in 2007 to serve in volunteer ministries with adults who were learning the English language or other basic skills to enhance their abilities for improved job performance. She also tutored inmates in the Cook County Jail and at the Merillac Center.

A Mass of Christian Burial was held at the Mount Notre Dame convent chapel in Cincinnati.