SNELLVILLE--Sister M. Maurice Kaltenbach, VHM, a Sister of the Visitation, died Dec. 23 at the age of 89, having spent 65 years as a professed member of the cloistered order in Baltimore, Md. and Georgia.

Born in Scranton, Pa., Sister Maurice entered the Visitation order at the age of 22 in a Baltimore monastery where she was a teacher. She made her profession Oct. 7, 1932. After that monastery closed, she came to the Snellville monastery known as Maryfield in 1980. Almost immediately she was placed in charge of the women retreatants who came for a weekend or longer time of prayer and reflection. She continued to serve in that role until about four years ago, said Mother M. Jozefa Kowalewski, VHM. The sisters were already planning a special 90th birthday party for her on Feb. 20, the superior said, and she was delighted that her birthday this year would come before Lent.

She was hospitalized before Christmas, but had been expected to recover and return to the monastery. Her funeral Mass was celebrated Dec. 27 with Father Tom Carroll, MS, pastor of St. Oliver Plunkett Church, Snellville as principal celebrant and Father John Fallon as homilist. Father Vincent Kowalewski, MSFS, was a concelebrant. She was buried in the sisters cemetery on the grounds of the monastery.