Sister M. Alberta Novosad, 99, died on March 7, 2022. She was born March 1, 1923 in Fayetteville, Texas, to the late Paul and Mary Novosad. She was the fifth of eleven children, nine girls and two boys.
Sr. Alberta received her grade-school education at St. John's in Fayetteville and St. Peter and Paul's in Plum. Sister Alberta felt she was called to serve God in a religious vocation and became an Aspirant of the Sisters of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament in Victoria and graduated from Nazareth Academy High School. She became a Postulant December 8, 1941, a Novice on July 27, 1942, and was professed on July 28, 1943. She received a BS with a major in English and a minor in Latin from Incarnate Word College in San Antonio, a MA in counseling from St. Mary's University in San Antonio and a MA in Administration from the University of Houston-Victoria.
During her 79 years as a professed Sister, Sister Alberta ministered as teacher at Sacred Heart School (Floresville), Nazareth Academy (Victoria), Sacred Heart School (La Grange), and St. Joseph High School in Victoria as the first woman principal of the all-boys' high school at the time. She also served as principal at Mary Immaculate (Dallas), Blessed Sacrament Academy (San Antonio), Our Lady of Mt. Carmel and Queen of Peace (Houston). In the early years she also taught piano lessons after school hours.
After retiring from teaching, she continued to serve at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish in Houston until 2008. When she retired to Incarnate Word Convent, she devoted her time to research and authored 'Texas Footprints in the Sands of Time', a history of the Sisters of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament coming to Texas, and 'Lives of Dedication and Service', short biographies of the Sisters from 1866 to 1939. Sister also served as the librarian of the Sisters’ main library where she catalogued many books. Her hobbies included making rosaries and crocheting.
Sister Alberta's multifaceted experiences and keen memory prepared her to serve as an excellent resource person and historian. Often when there were questions about past events or historical information, one would hear: "Let's go and ask Sister Alberta".
Sister Alberta was preceded in death by her parents and all her siblings: her sisters, Mary Wotipka (Leo), Martha Kainer (Benno), Annie Helm (Jesse), Winifred Wotipka (Alfred), Julie Klimek (Frank), Rose O'Neal (Tex), Josephine Behrens, and Agnes Novosad, and her brothers, Frank Novosad (Elsie), and Paul Novosad. Sister is survived by a brother-in-law, Clarence Behrens; and numerous nieces and nephews, grand-nieces and nephews, great-grand nieces and nephews, and numerous friends.
Rosary and Visitation will be held at Incarnate Word Convent (1101 N.E. Water Street, Victoria, TX 77901) on Tuesday, March 15, 2022, at 3:00 p.m. A Wake Service with Evening Praise and Sharing of Memories will be held at 6:30 p.m. On Wednesday, March 16, 2022, the Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:00 a.m. at Incarnate Word Convent with Fr. Dalton Ervin as presider and homilist. Burial will follow at Catholic Cemetery No. 3. Pallbearers are Gary Behrens, Jimmie Kainer, Frank Klimek, Frank Novosad, John Gilley, Pastor T. Wayne Price.
Memorials may be made to Incarnate Word Convent, Nazareth Academy, and Saint Joseph High School in Victoria, Hospice of South Texas, or donor's choice. Share memories and condolences with the family at www.colonialfuneralhomevictoria.com
