Sister M. Gabriella Luebbers' Services
Visitation: 4:00 p.m. to 5:15 p.m., Wed., Jan. 15, Aquinas Center, Sacred Heart Convent, 1237 W. Monroe St., Springfield, IL 62704.
Mass of Christian Burial: 6:30 p.m., Wed., Jan. 15, at Sacred Heart Convent Chapel, Dominican Father Robert Kelly, celebrant.
Sister M. Gabriella’s remains will be interred at Calvary Cemetery, Springfield, on a date to be determined.
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Livestream
Visitation prayer service and Mass of Christian Burial will livestream from springfieldop.org/live-stream
Burial services livestreamed at facebook.com/springfieldop
Springfield Dominican Sister M. Gabriella Luebbers died January 6, 2025, in the 76th year of her religious profession, at St. John’s Hospital.
She was born on the land her family farmed in Carlyle, Ill., in 1931, the sixth of eleven children, and named Patricia Ann by her parents Herman and Margaret (Lake) Luebbers. She made her profession of vows in 1949 at Sacred Heart Convent at the age of 18 and earned bachelor’s degrees in French and history from St. Xavier College, and a master’s in education with a specialty in French from the University of Illinois.
Speaking of her vocation, Sister M. Gabriella said she’d never thought of religious life as an option until a Lenten retreat preacher “Spoke of God’s special and personal lover for each one of us, and I was touched by the Spirit.” That priest happened to be cousin to a Springfield Dominican Sister, a relationship that ultimately brought her to her profession in the Order of Preachers.
The first 27 years of Sister M. Gabriella’s religious life were given to educating children, primary grades school through high school. She taught elementary school at Our Lady of Grace, Chicago (1949-1952), Little Flower School Springfield, Ill. (1952-1960), and St. Thomas the Apostle, Crystal Lake, Ill., (1961-1962).
She taught French at Routt High School, Jacksonville, Ill. (1962-1963), Marian Catholic High School (1963-1971), where she also taught religion; and Sacred Heart Academy (1971-1975), where she was also prefect of the boarders at Siena Hall. She was principal at Rosary High School, Aurora, Ill. (1975-1979), then taught French again at Marian Catholic (1979-1988.)
For 34 years, 1988-2022, Sister M. Gabriella served her Dominican Sisters faithfully at Sacred Heart Convent, caring for the sisters’ needs by cleaning their rooms, mending their clothes, and using the gift of her beautiful voice as a cantor at liturgies. She served a term as subprioress at the motherhouse (1997-2003.)
Sister M. Gabriella was preceded in death by her parents, her brothers Robert, Jack, Joseph, Daniel, and Raymond Luebbers; her sisters Betty McClintick, and Helen Hollenkamp. She is survived by her brothers Matthew and Marion Luebbers and her sister Marcella Dimock; numerous nieces and nephews and their children; dear friends, and her Dominican Sisters.
Visitation: 4:00 p.m. to 5:15 p.m., Wed., Jan. 15, Aquinas Center, Sacred Heart Convent, 1237 W. Monroe St., Springfield, IL 62704.
Funeral Mass: 6:30 p.m., Wed., Jan. 15, at Sacred Heart Convent Chapel, Dominican Father Robert Kelly, celebrant. Wake and Mass livestreamed at springfieldop.org/livestream/
Sister M. Gabriella’s remains will be interred at Calvary Cemetery, Springfield, following cremation, on a date to be determined.
Memorials to honor the memory of Sister M. Gabriella may be made to the Dominican Sisters Retirement Fund, 1237 W. Monroe St., Springfield, IL, 62704.
The Dominican Sisters and family of Sister M. Gabriella 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.
