Sister M. Clarice Kniery Services
Visitation: 4:00 p.m. to 5:15 p.m., Wed., Feb. 25, Aquinas Center, Sacred Heart Convent, 1237 W. Monroe St., Springfield, IL 62704.
Funeral Mass: 6:30 p.m., Wed., Feb. 25, at Sacred Heart Convent Chapel, Dominican Father Robert Kelly, presiding. Wake and Mass livestreamed at springfieldop.org/livestream/
Burial: She will be laid to rest at Roselawn Cemetery, 10:00 a.m. Thurs., Feb. 26. Those services will livestream on Facebook @springfieldop.
Springfield Dominican Sister M. Clarice Kniery died February 20 at Sacred Heart Convent. She was 92 and in the 73 year of profession.
Sister M. Clarice was born in 1933 in Litchfield, Ill., to S. Joseph and Anna V. Jordan Kniery, and baptized Rita Rose at Assumption of Blessed Virgin Mary Church in Litchfield, Ill. She joined the Dominican Sisters of Springfield in 1952 and made her first profession of vows in 1956.
Sister Clarice attributed her call to religious life to the faith of her parents and her many relatives who also chose of path of service in the church, including her aunt, Springfield Dominican Sister Monica Marie Jordan, and her cousin, Sister M. Grace Jordan. “Our doors were always open and our table always expandable,” she said of her family home.
Sister Clarice ministered for more than 40 years as an elementary school educator. She taught first grade at St. Edward School, Chicago, 1953-1956, and later would be called to St. Augustine School, Richmond, Mich., 1956-1963; Our Lady Queen Peace Bethalto, Ill., 1962-1965, where she was a pioneer; Holy Cross School, Mendota, Ill., 1965-1968; St. Joseph School, Bradley, Ill., 1968-1969; and St. Charles Borromeo School, Hampshire, Ill., where she was principal, 1969-1975. She also taught eighth grade at St. Bernadette School, Evergreen Park, Ill., 1975-1978, and then served as principal at St. Thomas School, Philo, Ill., 1978-1984, and at Holy Angels, Aurora, Ill. 1984-1986.
In Springfield, she taught eighth grade at Little Flower School, 1987-1990, before leaving classroom teaching to become director of transitional living at Hesed House, a shelter for the unhoused in Aurora. Ill., 1990-1993. She served as campus minister and religious education coordinator at Sister Thea Bowman School, East St. Louis, Ill., 1993-1998. After a sabbatical, she provided support services at Marian High School, Chicago Heights, Ill., 2000-2003, and then returned to Springfield and to service for the congregation and for The Springfield Project.
One of eight children, Sister M. Clarice was preceded in death by her parents, her brothers Edward (Eileen), Jerome (Dannette), Michael (Barbara), James, and Joseph, and her sisters Margaret T. (Quinn) Swibaker (Donald) and Ann Koch (Charles). She is survived by her sister-in-law Loralea (Joseph) Kniery; her loving cousins, numerous nieces and nephews, great nieces and nephews, and her Dominican Sisters and friends.
In 2024 Sister Clarice’s family surprised her for her birthday by creating the Kniery-Jordan Memorial Fund for the health care of the elder sisters and the upkeep of the motherhouse facilities.
Visitation: 4:00 p.m. to 5:15 p.m., Wed., February 25, Aquinas Center, Sacred Heart Convent, 1237 W. Monroe St., Springfield, IL 62704.
Funeral Mass: 6:30 p.m., Wed., February 25, at Sacred Heart Convent Chapel, Dominican Father Robert Kelly, presiding. Visitation and Mass livestreamed at springfieldop.org/livestream/
She will be laid to rest at Roselawn Memorial Park,10:00 a.m. Thur. Feb. 26. Those services will livestream on Facebook @springfieldop.
Memorials to honor the memory of Sister M. Clarice may be made to the Kniery-Jordan Family Fund, 1237 W. Monroe St., Springfield, IL, 62704. For complete obit visit https://www.dignitymemorial.com/funeral-homes/butler.
The Dominican Sisters and family of Sister M. Clarice are served by Butler Funeral Home, 900 S. 6th St., Springfield. Please leave your condolences in the comments below or visit dignitymemorial.com/funeral-homes/butler.
