Sister Louella Staab, 81, died Nov. 4 at the Dominican Sisters’ convent infirmary in Great Bend. Born Oct. 8, 1931, in Catherine as Maybell Ann Catherine Staab, Sister Louella was the daughter of the late Alexius and Celestine (Weigel) Staab. She entered the Dominican Sisters’ Community in Great Bend on Dec. 6, 1953, and pronounced her first vows on June 13, 1956. She celebrated 50 years of religious profession in 2006. Sister Louella ministered from 1956 to 1968 in the hospital offices of St. Joseph Memorial in Larned, St. Rose in Great Bend, Sacred Heart in Lamar, Colo., St. Catherine in Garden City, and Central Kansas Medical Center in Great Bend, and in the finance office of the Great Bend Dominican Sisters. She is most remembered as the accountant and Executive Director of Cedar Park Place in Great Bend from 1980 to 1992. She also worked in the Chancery office of the Diocese of Dodge City and as Administrator of Mary Elizabeth Maternity Home in Hays. She retired to the convent infirmary in Great Bend in 2003.
Sister Louella is survived by her Dominican Sisters of Peace religious community; five brothers, Robert Staab of Salina, Norman Staab and Roger Staab, both of Hays, Ervell Staab of Omaha, Neb., and Dennis Staab of Olathe; and two sisters, Erlene Leiker of Olathe, and Ruby Mae Nowak of Russell. Sister Louella was preceded in death by one brother, William Staab.
Sister Louella’s body was brought to the hospitality area of the Dominican Chapel of the Plains, 3600 Broadway in Great Bend, at 4 p.m. on Monday, where it will lie in state until the Mass of Christian Burial at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, with the Rev. Ted Skalsky and the Rev. Francis Oroffa MSP concelebrating. A wake service will be held at 7 p.m. today. Burial will be in the Sisters’ Resurrection Cemetery. Both the wake and the funeral will be held at the convent. Friends may call at the convent from 9 a.m. until the time of the wake service today and from 9 a.m. until service time on Wednesday. Memorials in honor of Sister Louella may be sent to the Dominican Sisters of Peace, Office of Advancement, 2320 Airport Dr., Columbus OH  43219-2098. Condolences may be sent and notice viewed at www.bryantfh.net.

Funeral arrangements provided by
Bryant Funeral Home*    
1425 Patton Road    
Great Bend, Ks.  67530
Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, Nov. 6, 2012