LEAVENWORTH — Sister Celine Kobe, 104, a Sister of Charity of Leavenworth for 85 years, died here on Sept. 12.
Born Catherine Mary on Feb. 15, 1921, in Kansas City, Kansas, to Peter and Mary Kobe, she was one of 12 children, growing up in a blended yet close-knit family.
She grew up in the Strawberry Hill neighborhood, a community of immigrant families rich in heritage and faith. Her Croatian father and Slovenian mother instilled in their children pride in their roots, their Catholic faith and their close church community.
She often spoke of her love for Strawberry Hill and the joy of being surrounded by family and neighbors.
Living near the School Sisters of St. Francis of Christ the King, young Catherine became curious about convent life and would sometimes practice being a Sister, complete with a veil she made herself.
She attended St. John the Baptist Grade School and Bishop Ward High School, graduating in 1940. During her senior year, Mother Leo Frances Ryan learned of her student’s interest in religious life and encouraged her to answer God’s call.
Catherine decided to pursue her vocation with the Sisters of Charity and entered the community on June 24, 1940. She took the name Sister Mary Celine and later chose to simplify her name to Sister Celine.
She earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Saint Mary College, Leavenworth, in 1960. At Our Lady of Guadalupe School in Topeka, Sister Celine began her ministry in education immediately following her first profession of vows. Over the next three decades, she served in schools across Colorado, Illinois, Kansas, Missouri and Montana.
In 1976, Sister Celine transitioned to ministry at the motherhouse in Leavenworth, where she coordinated arts and crafts and served as a clerk and typist.
