Sister Mary Gemma Younger

Sister Mary Gemma Younger, 86, of the Order of the Visitation of Holy Mary, died January 9, 2023 at Taylor Manor, Versailles, Kentucky.  Sister Mary Gemma was born Claudia Ann Younger in Louisville, Kentucky, September 21, 1936 to Claude Hamilton Younger and Anna Josephine Ratterman Younger.  She was baptized at St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church and attended Holy Name School in Louisville.  Sister graduated  from Alleman Catholic High School in Rock Island, Illinois in 1955 and entered the Visitation Order in 1956.  She made final (solemn) vows as a nun at Mount de Sales, Baltimore, Maryland in 1963.  Later, Sister received a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Maryland and graduated from St. Charles University/Seminary in Philadelphia, Pennsylvanian with a Master of Arts in dogmatic theology.  Sister held teaching certificates in history from the states of Connecticut and Kentucky and in theology from the Vatican.  Sister has served the Catholic Church as a faithful nun all her life and as a teacher of religion, history, and art, as well as counselor, writer, lecturer, seamstress and retreat moderator.  After the closing of Sister Mary Gemma’s Visitations community in Maryland, she taught at Holy Family Academy in Baltic, Connecticut.  Upon returning to her home state, she worked with homeschoolers and as a retreat moderator.  Sister Mary Gemma’s goal in life was to be faithful to the Holy Roman Catholic Church and a faithful Visitation nun.  She has a deep love for God and country, wishing to always instill this love in the hearts and minds of all she met, in or outside the classroom.

Sister Mary Gemma is preceded in death by her parents.  She is survived by her two natural sisters, Martha h. Roman of Rock Island, Illinois and Therese Dalton of Davenport, Iowa; along with a number cousins in Louisville, nieces and nephews throughout the United States, and a special cousin, Judy Younger Halstetter, of Louisville, Kentucky.

A funeral Mass will be held for Sister 1:30 p.m. Friday, January 13, 2023 at Taylor Manor, Versailles, Kentucky with burial to follow in St. Joseph Cemetery, Versailles , Ky.  Friends may visit after 11:00 a.m. at Taylor Manor.  Joseph L. Greenwell Funeral Home, New Haven, has been entrusted with arrangements.

In lieu of flowers, those wishing to honor Sister’s memory are asked to make memorial contributions to Taylor Manor.

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