LA CROSSE, Wis. — A Franciscan Sister of Perpetual Adoration who is a native of the Diocese of Davenport is celebrating her 60th jubilee of vowed religious life.
Born in Fort Madison, Sister Ladonna Kassmeyer entered the FSPA in La Crosse, Wis., from West Point and made her first profession of vows
in 1956. After serving as an elementary teacher in La Crosse and Mondovi, Wis., Sr. Kassmeyer earned a bachelor of science in accounting from St. Louis University where she later achieved a master’s degree in business administration. She ministered as business manager and controller for La Crosse’s Viterbo College (now Viterbo University) from 1964-74, serving some of her tenure as the institution’s director of residence life as well. In 1973, Sr. Kassmeyer served the FSPA as treasurer of the Central Province. She continued her education, earning a master’s degree in theology with a concentration in spirituality from
Aquinas Institute of Theology in St. Louis and concurrently serving as director of finance and student life manager for the institute. She then returned to La Crosse to serve in congregational ministry: first as FSPA director of development from 1987-2012, and asthe community’s congregational secretary.
Sr. Kassmeyer is now retired and volunteers for local and national organizations and serves as treasurer for the archivists of Congregations of Women Religious and the Washburn Neighborhood Association (La Crosse). A jubilee celebration was held at St. Rose Convent on April 15.
Congratulations, Sister Ladonna! You’ve done a good job all these years! Did you notice how the Springs location of that last, or was it the next to last, meeting is having forest fires? And super hot temps? Betty