Sister Rosemary Esterkamp, 94, of Owensboro, passed away Tuesday, November 17, 2020. She was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, to the late Bernard Esterkamp and Florence Diersing. She has been a missionary for 73 years as a Glenmary Sister, having begun in 1947. She served the home missions in Virginia, Georgia, North Carolina, Kentucky, and Ohio. She earned her Bachelor of Science in History and PhD in American Studies from St. Louis University. She enjoyed using her skills to help other women discern their call to become Catholic sisters and held several positions in her religious community at various times: Formation Director, Secretary General, Director of Music, Librarian, Director of Education, President, and Archivist. Sister was recognized as a Kentucky Colonel in 2015. She helped start the Livingston County Helping Hands in Smithland, Kentucky, while she was missioned there. She loved horses and reading.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by a brother, Bernard Esterkamp; and a sister, Dorothy Maringer.
She is survived by her Glenmary Sisters community and many nieces and nephews.
A private funeral Mass will be held Monday at Noon, November 23 at St. Stephen Cathedral. The service will also be available virtually through a link found on the church website. Visitation will be private at Glenn Funeral Home and Crematory. Burial will be in Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Cincinnati.
The number of those attending the visitation or funeral Mass for Sister Rosemary shall be within current health and safety directives. Family and friends shall wear appropriate personal protective masks. For the private Mass and visitation, for the private visitation, enter the doors under the canopy on the Triplett Street side of the funeral home.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Glenmary Sisters, P.O. Box 22264, Owensboro, KY 42304.
Condolences may be offered online at www.glenncares.com.