Maurelia Petrus

Sister Mary Maurelia Petrus, RSM passed away on Sept. 1, 2013 at Catherine McAuley Convent in Barling, Ark. Sister was preceded in death by her parents, John and Matilda Petrus and her siblings, Francis, Rudy, Vince, John, Leonard and Betty Petrus. Sister is survived by several sisters-in-law, nieces and nephews. Sister Maurelia graduated from Mt. St. Mary's High School in Little Rock, Ark. She entered the Sisters of Mercy Sept. 8, 1943 and made her final vows Aug. 16, 1949. Sr. Mary Maurelia attended college at Webster and Fontbone in St. Louis, Mo., where she graduated in 1956 as a certified medical technologist (MT-ASCP) with a BS. Sr. Mary Maurelia's ministries included teaching in elementary school in New Orleans, La., Christ the King in Fort Smith and St. Patrick's in North Little Rock, Ark. Sr. Maurleia then moved into hospital ministry where she worked and was a supervisor in the lab and business office. From 1960-1977 Sister served as the hospital administrator of Mercy Hospitals in Brinkley, Fort Smith and Hot Springs, Ark., and then Mercy Hospital of Laredo, Texas. Sister also worked as the director of volunteer services at St. Joseph in Hot Springs, Ark. In 1981 Sr. Maurelia received her licensure as a beautician from Reusing University of Beauty. From 1981-1998 Sr. Maurelia worked at St. John's Regional Health Center at the Marion Center Beauty Shop as a beautician and also designed and created silk flowers for the gift shop in Springfield, Mo., until she moved to Hot Springs in 1998 where she volunteered at St. Joseph's Hospital until she moved to Catherine McAuley Convent in Barling, Ark. in 2001. The Rosary will be recited at McAuley Convent Chapel in Barling at 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2013, with the Funeral Mass to follow in McAuley Convent Chapel at 10:30 a.m., Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2013. Burial will be at Carlisle Cemetery in Carlisle, Ark. the afternoon of Sept. 4, 2013. To sign the online guestbook, go to www.fentressmortuary.com.