Sr. Maura Clark, RSM

Sr. Maura Clark, RSM

December 15, 1927-August 20, 2025

We pray in thanksgiving for the life of Maura Clark, a Sister of Mercy for 68 years; she was 97 years old.

Sister Maura Clark returned to the heart of God on August 20, 2025.  Born Mary Alberta Clark, she was the oldest of nine children.  As such, she came upon the work of healing ministry very early in life.

Sister Maura attended a country school in York Nebraska then she attended St. Joseph’s Catholic High School in York. She became more acquainted with religious life in high school since the Ursuline Sisters taught at this high school and then they were later replaced with the Benedictine Sisters.

She discovered her love of nursing as she continued her education as St. Catherine’s School of Nursing and Duchesne College, both in Omaha Nebraska where she received her B.S.N.  Sister Maura was later accepted for graduate studies in the Catholic University of America where she received her master’s degree in nursing.

Sister Maura expansive education and talents brought her into many different yet related ministries in nursing and healing.  She served as an Instructor of Nursing at St. Catherine’s School of Nursing as well as College of Saint Mary.  She held positions of Director of Schools of Nursing at Mercy Hospital in Council Bluff, and at Mercy Hospital in Denver, Colorado.

Many of the ministries that followed helped her expand and develop her skills in numerous areas.  For example, she designed and established the Home Health Care Program at Archbishop Bergan Mercy Hospital in Omaha,   Later she was the first director of the Burt-Washington Home Health Care Memorial Community Hospital in Blair, Nebraska.  This was followed by being Director of Sponsorship and Public Relations at St. Joseph’s Mercy Hospital in Centerville, Iowa.  Then after prayerful consideration of a request from the Omaha Sisters of Mercy Leadership Team, she decided to accept the appointment as Director of Retirement at St. Joseph’s Nursing Home in Portland, Oregan.

The cumulation of all these experiences led Sister Maura to prayerfully discern and understand that she was being called by God to a new form of healing ministry.  As a result, she completed the education and training for Chaplaincy at Providence Hospital in Portland, Oregan. She soon established and directed the Pastoral Care Department at Providence Hospital and later served as a chaplain at Mercy Medical Center in Nampa, Idaho where she developed many deep relationships with other staff and doctors.

While it is clear that Sister Maura had a great love and passion for nursing, she also had a great love for her family.  It was out of concern for her family that she delayed entering the Sisters of Mercy until she was 29 when most young women entered at age 18. Her religious community, the Sisters of Mercy, offered her a grounding in spirituality, theology, prayer and therefore a purpose for the many experiences she had when taking care of suffering people.

Before and after official retirement, Sister Maura served as consultant and active member in many nursing organizations in Iowa, Nebraska, Colorado, and the Sisters of Mercy.

Sister Maura was an avid musician and lover of music throughout her life. She always sang in the shower at home.  However, after her first morning and shower in the convent, she was advised not to sing in the shower as all sisters observed silence throughout many parts of the day.  The 18-year-olds waiting in line to shower that day found much amusement in this spirited singing. Sister Maura continued her ministry of music in the Sisters of Mercy before and after retirement.  In addition, throughout her life she became extremely skilled at quilting. She made many quilts for family, for friends, and for display in many ministries.

Sister Maura entered the Sisters of Mercy in 1957.  Many Sisters who loved her and taught her have preceded her death.  They have all been lovingly remembered by her and by many Sisters of Mercy.  Since Sister Maura lived to the age of 97, she is survived by many members of the Sisters of Mercy, both old and young, whose lives have been touched by her love, service, kindness, and playful spirit.

Sister Maura was preceded in death by her parents; by six siblings: Paul, John, Charles, Thomas, Dan, and Teresa. She was also preceded in death by brothers-in-law, Edward Berry and Alfred Jeffs; by sister-in-law, Barbara Clark; by nephews: Brandon Jeffs, Bruce Jeffs, and John Berry.

She is survived by her sisters, Phyllis Berry and Carol Jeffs; sister-in-law, Sister Carole Ann Clark.

She is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews (and spouses not forgotten but too numerous to list): Ann Clark, Paula Brungardt, Amy Meier, Mark Clark, Kevin Clark, Jackie White, Dan Clark, Bradley Jeffs, Barry Jeffs, Ben Jeffs, Barbara Jeffs, Candy Clark, Roger Clark, Dr. Thomas Berry, Lisa Berry, Lora Kopper, Susan Sponsel, Greg Warren, Shane Warren, Darren Warren, and Mara Hahn.

PRAYER SERVICE: Tuesday August 26, 2025, 6:30PM with VISITATION beginning at 4:30 PM at West Center Chapel.

MASS OF CHRISTIAN BURIAL: Wednesday August 27, 10:30 AM, Christ the King  Catholic Church, 654 S. 86th St. Omaha.

INTERMENT: Resurrection Cemetery.

Memorials are suggested to the Sisters of Mercy.

To view live broadcasts of the Prayer Service and Mass, please visit www.heafeyheafey.com and click the “Live Cast” button at the top of the home page.

Heafey-Hoffmann-Dworak-Cutler, West Center Chapel, 7805 West Center Road, Omaha, Ne 68124. (402)-391-3900. www.heafeyheafey.com