Sister Mary Clementa, who taught generations of East Baltimore families in a career spanning more than half a century, died Thursday of heart failure at Villa Assumpta, the motherhouse of the School Sisters of Notre Dame in Woodbrook. She was 102.
Sister Clementa spent most of her teaching career at Sacred Heart of Jesus Parochial School in Highlandtown, where she started in 1924 and retired in 1980.
"She was a stern and learned woman," said a student, Richard Plona, now purchasing agent at Haussner's Restaurant. "Her pride came from what her students learned. You played by her rules and then earned her respect."
Born and raised in Philadelphia as Florence M. Kieffer, she attended parochial school and worked as a bookkeeper and typist before entering the School Sisters of Notre Dame in 1921. She completed her high school studies at Baltimore's Institute of Notre Dame and earned a bachelor's degree at the College of Notre Dame.
She took her vows in 1925.
Sister Clementa left Highlandtown in 1940, transferred to Holy Cross School in Albany, N.Y. She returned to Baltimore as principal and superior at St. Leo's School in Little Italy.
"She spoke with a refined voice and had beautiful handwriting," recalled Jeannette Steinbacher of Manchester, whose brothers, cousins and uncles were taught by the sister.
Sister Clementa returned to the Highlandtown school in 1954. For many years she taught the eighth-grade classes, as well as junior high religion and art. She also tended the convent garden and taught her students about bulbs, perennials and annuals.
A Mass of Christian burial will be offered at 10 a.m. tomorrow at Villa Assumpta, 6401 N. Charles St.
She is survived by a sister, Marie Duerr of Philadelphia, and several nieces and nephews.
