Sister Kathleen Francis Honc, OSF, died Sept. 9, 2016, in the St. Clare Community of St. Elizabeth Motherhouse in Allegany. She was 85 years of age.

The former Margaret Theresa Honc was born Oct. 22, 1930 in Bokeelia, Fla., to Vincent and Ludmila (Sushil) Honc. She joined the Congregation of the Franciscan Sisters of Allegany at St. Elizabeth Motherhouse in 1947 and professed final vows in 1954.

Sister Kathleen Francis received a bachelor's degree in education from St. Elizabeth Teachers' College, now a part of St. Bonaventure University, in 1963. In between her earliest teaching assignments, she completed graduate studies at Simmons College in Boston, Siena College in Loudonville and Florida State University in Tallahassee. In 1968, she received a master's degree in home economic education.

Sister Kathleen began teaching students in congregational schools in New York, Florida and North Carolina. Her areas of expertise included religious education, home economics and language studies. At Bishop Verot School in Fort Myers, Fla., she was a yearbook advisor and maintenance director, also assisting with music programs by teaching choir and piano lessons to the students where she served.

She also assisted in pastoral work in various parishes in Florida. In 2001, she began a volunteer ministry and fully retired in 2007, returning home to St. Elizabeth Motherhouse that year.

Sister Kathleen is survived by a brother, John, and several nieces and nephews.

A funeral Mass was held in the chapel of St. Elizabeth Motherhouse, with burial in her family's plot in Fort Myers Cemetery.