Sister Kathleen Koltis, 81, a Sister of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis for 65 years, died Saturday, April 15, 2017, at Willow Brooke Point in Stevens Point.

Visitation at St. Joseph Motherhouse Chapel, 1300 Maria Drive, Stevens Point, will begin with a prayer service at 9:30 a.m. Thursday, April 20. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m. with the Rev. Todd Mlsna officiating. Burial will follow in the convent cemetery.

The former Eleanor Koltis was born July 22, 1935, in Thorp, to Anton and Josephine (Kosnowicz) Koltis. The youngest of 14 siblings, she grew up on the family farm and graduated from St. Hedwig School in Thorp.

Sister Kathleen was received into the novitiate of the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis Aug. 10, 1952, and pronounced final vows Aug. 10, 1959.

Early training in culinary skills by her mother prepared her for service as a homemaker in convents in Stevens Point, Milwaukee, Thorp, Menasha and South Bend, Ind., for 21 years.

Proficient in her ministry, she then reached out to the broader Christian community as a homemaker for the Christian Brothers and Newman University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point (UWSP) campus chaplains; Food Service Director at De La Salle High School in Minneapolis; dietary aide at Leader Nursing and Rehabilitation Center and St. Mary Care Center, both in Madison.

After 49 fulfilling years in her ministry of care, Sister Kathleen retired in 2003 at St. Joseph Motherhouse in Stevens Point.

Survivors include two brothers, Walter (Daisy) Koltis, Apex, N.C., and Jerome (Dolores) Koltis, Willow Brook, Ill.; and many nieces, nephews and the Sisters of St. Joseph-TOSF.

She was preceded in death by her parents; brothers, Edward (Sophie) Koltis, Benedict (Eugenia) Koltis, Frank (Katherine) Koltis, Thaddeaus (Elizabeth) Koltis, Adolph (Patricia) Koltis, Joseph (Karen) Koltis; and sisters, Genevieve (Rhinehart) Lewerencz, Leocadia (John) Bogue, Adella (August) Abramczak, Harriet (Frank) Smiderski, and Helen (Charles) Frinack.

Memorials may be offered to the Sisters of St. Joseph-TOSF.

Pisarski Funeral Home is honored to be serving the family and the Sisters. Online condolences may be offered by visiting www.pisarskifuneralhome.com.

The SSJ-TOSF community is grateful to the staffs of the former Maria Center, Willow Brooke Point, and Ministry Hospice for the care given to our Sister Kathleen. God bless you all!