Sister Verna (Clarence) Gaul, OSF, died Monday, July 4, 2022 at the age of 98.

The Mass of Christian Burial will be held at the Clare House Chapel, Mount St. Francis Center at 1:00 p.m. Wednesday, July 6, 2022. Masks will be required. Guests unable to attend may participate via livestream at: www.youtube.com/dubuquefranciscans

Verna Mary, daughter of the late John and Sylvia (Fischbach) Gaul, was born April 18, 1924 in Granville, IA. She was baptized and confirmed at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Granville. She entered the Sisters of St. Francis in Dubuque on August 25, 1943, was received with the name Sister Mary Clarence on August 12, 1944, and made her final profession of vows on August 12, 1949.

Sister received her bachelor’s degree in music education from the University of Portland, OR and her degree in library science from St. Cloud University, St. Cloud, MN. She ministered as a teacher in Iowa at Remsen, Norway, Mapleton, Rickardsville, Keota, Haverhill, Worthington, Guttenburg, St. Mary and St. Martin in Cascade, Granville, Sioux City, and Crescent City, CA.

Sister is survived by her sisters, Marjorie (Bill) Childers, Rosemary Wilkes, Clare (Ivan) Pottebaum, Katherine (Gayl) Hopkins; brothers, Joseph Gaul, Peter (Barbara) Gaul, Theodore (Elaine) Gaul; brother-in-law, Al Uhrich; nieces, nephews, and her Franciscan sisters.

Sister was preceded in death by her parents and stepmother, Marie Gaul; her sisters, Gertrude Dekker, Joan (James) Meaden, Ruth (Harry) Block, Elinor (Loren) Crawford, Angela Uhrich, and Joanne Mahar; brothers, Mark Gaul and James Mahar; Sister-in-law, Cathy Gaul; Brothers-in-law Marshall Wilkes and Gene Nelson

Memorials may be given to the Sisters of St. Francis, Dubuque, IA.