Maple Mount — Sister Clarita Browning, 97, an Ursuline Sister of Mount Saint Joseph, died Thursday, November 12, 2026, at Mount Saint Joseph, in her 78th year of religious life. She was a native of Calvary, Ky.
Sister Clarita was a gentle and encouraging woman, who helped shape many future teachers during her years as an education professor.
Sister Clarita graduated from Mount Saint Joseph Academy, Maple Mount, Ky., in 1947. She earned a bachelor of science degree in Elementary Education from Brescia College (now University), Owensboro, Ky., in 1965. She then earned her master’s degree in elementary education at Indiana University in 1967, followed by a master’s degree in religious education from Saint Meinrad School of Theology in Indiana.
All of her ministry was in Kentucky. A teacher for 39 years, Sister Clarita taught in Owensboro at Sts. Joseph and Paul School (1950-51), Immaculate School (1965-66) and as a professor of education at Brescia College (1967-89). She also taught at St. Thomas More School, Paducah (1951-55), St. Margaret Mary School, Lyndon (1955-59) and St. Christopher School, Radcliff (1959-65).
She was associate director of the Mount Saint Joseph Conference and Retreat Center at Maple Mount (1989-90). She was a pastoral associate and director of religious education at Immaculate Parish, Owensboro (1990-96), St. Mary of the Woods Parish, Whitesville (1996-2000) and St. John the Baptist Parish, Fordsville (2000-2002). From 2002-2009, she was co-director of pastoral care at Saint Joseph Villa, at the Mount Saint Joseph Motherhouse. From 2009-2015, she served as a receptionist, daily annalist and mail distributor.
Survivors include the members of her religious community and nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, Lee and Mary Agnes Browning; and her siblings Father Lawrence Browning CP, Father William Browning CP, Emma Rita Newdecker, Josephine Browning, Sister Marie Goretti Browning, and Agnes Marie Watts.
The funeral Mass will be at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, November 17, at Mount Saint Joseph, where visitation will begin at 4 p.m. Monday, November 16, with a wake service following at 6:30 p.m.
Glenn Funeral Home and Crematory, Owensboro, is handling arrangements.
Gifts in memory of Sister Clarita may may be made to the Ursuline Sisters of Mount Saint Joseph, 8001 Cummings Road, Maple Mount, KY 42356.
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