Mary Elizabeth Krampe was born on June 21, 1918, in Owensboro, Ky. She was the youngest of 12 children of Joseph John Krampe and Elizabeth Bickwermert Krampe. Her brothers and sisters were Joseph, Veronica, William, Leo, Paul, Louis, Frank (who died in infancy), a baby sister who died at birth, Sister Mary Aurea, a Benedictine of Ferdinand, Ind., and another Frank.
She was baptized on June 23, 1918, at St. Martin’s Church in Rome, Ky. She was confirmed on May 5, 1926, by Archbishop John Floersh. Father Joseph Saffer was her pastor during her years in St. Martin’s parish.
During the years between grade school and entering the Ursuline Sisters of Belleville, Ill., Mary Elizabeth stayed at home helping with the housework and caring for her aging parents. After the death of her parents, she began to fulfill her dream of serving God as a sister.
She contacted the Ursuline Sisters of Belleville where she was welcomed on December 19, 1957, at the age of 39. Mary Elizabeth became a novice in 1958 and made temporary vows on August 22, 1960. She made her perpetual vows on August 22, 1963.
During the years in the novitiate, she attended classes to receive her high school diploma which she received on May 27, 1963, from Notre Dame Academy. She began attending Fontbonne College in St. Louis to study clothing construction and took more classes at Maryville College and St. Louis University.
Most of her ministry was at the Motherhouse in Belleville from 1968 to 1999 where she sewed, made afghans and quilts. She also drove sisters to their appointments. She maintained flower gardens and was involved in almost every ministry at the Motherhouse.
In 1999 she came to Mount Saint Joseph for a sabbatical for several months. She returned to community service at the Belleville Motherhouse until she moved to Mount Saint Joseph to retire in 2004 as the communities prepared to merge.
Sister Mary Elizabeth, 100, died on January 14, 2019, at Mount Saint Joseph, in her 61st year of religious life. The funeral Mass was on Friday, January 18, 2019, at 10:30 a.m. in the Motherhouse Chapel, with burial in the convent cemetery.