LEAVENWORTH — Sister Mary Geraldine Yelich, 95, a Sister of Charity of Leavenworth for 76 years, died on Dec. 23, 2025.
Born Mary Margaret Yelich on Oct. 23, 1930, in Red Lodge, Montana, she was one of five children of Joseph and Anna Yelich.
Mary Margaret grew up in Red Lodge, where she attended Lincoln and Roosevelt grade schools. With no Catholic school in the community, she attended public school through her sophomore year.
Mary Margaret’s first encounters with the Sisters of Charity occurred when she was a young child, observing Sisters caring for children near Red Lodge. A decade later, two Sisters of Charity arrived to teach summer religion classes in her hometown, deepening her connection to the Sisters of Charity community.
Through their encouragement, she attended Cathedral High School in Helena, where she worked preparing meals for the Sisters.
Mary Margaret enrolled at Saint Mary College in Leavenworth in August 1948, on scholarship, supported by the Sisters in Helena.
Inspired by the Sisters’ joy, simplicity and sense of community, she discerned a call to serve the church as a Sister of Charity. She entered the novitiate on Aug. 18, 1949, taking the name Sister Mary Geraldine upon receiving her habit.
Sister Mary Geraldine earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in elementary education from Saint Mary College. Her ministry reflected a lifelong commitment to Catholic education and strong, steady leadership.
She began teaching at Blessed Sacrament School in Kansas City, Kansas, where she served from 1951 to 1959, and later taught and served as principal in schools throughout Colorado, Kansas and Missouri.
Former students remembered Sister Mary Geraldine as a firm but fair educator who inspired excellence. Known affectionately by some as “Sister Jellybean,” she held high standards, expected students to do their best and treated all with fairness. She also fostered a deep love of music, skillfully harmonizing student choirs and helping generations of children experience the beauty of the liturgy through song.
Following her years in school administration, Sister Mary Geraldine joined other Sisters of Charity at Quindaro House in Kansas City, Kansas. There, she continued sharing her gifts through the Foster Grandparent Program, tutoring elementary students, teenagers preparing for the GED and at-risk high school students. She also ministered through Catholic Charities and All Saints School and was active with Wyandotte Interfaith Sponsoring Council (WISC), reflecting her enduring commitment to social justice.
Sister Mary Geraldine moved to the motherhouse in Leavenworth in December 2012.
