Cecilia Catherine Huemmler was a native of St. Louis and always cherished the hope that some day our community would establish a sanctuary in her city. She was born on Feb. 20, 1904 and entered at Clyde on Dec. 7, 1930. On Aug.22, 1931 she received the holy habit and was professed on Sept. 17, 1932, taking the name of Sister M. Desideria. Her perpetual vows were made on Feb. 5, 1938 and she received Consecration of Virgins on November 16, 1952.

Sister was of a medium build, quiet, unassuming, of a somewhat nervous disposition. Before entering she had some experience in the business world of banking. At Clyde she worked in the correspondence department, crediting, helping to fill booklet orders, and later on, with sorting and distributing the daily incoming mail, which at times was very heavy. Always cheerful, always charitable, ever ready to fend a helping hand, faithful in her religious observance and very dependable at whatever work was assigned to her - this is the image of her that lives on in the memory of those associated with her. Though not robust, Sister always enjoyed good health and slept on the porch all the year round, even in the coldest weather. She was one of the few who at the time of her death had no medical record.

On the fateful 25th of April, 1961, which was to be her last day on earth, Sister rose with the community as usual at 5:00 a.m., assisted at the Divine office and Holy Mass, participated in the outdoor procession (feast of St. Mark), attended to some tasks at the correspondence department and spent an hour at the press in the laundry. Around 10:30 she went to her room. She had gone just a few steps down the hall when she slumped to the floor. Sisters M. Cyrilla and Angelica who were working in a room nearby heard the noise and spread the alarm. Soon the superiors, nurses, chaplain and finally the doctor were at her side. She did not regain consciousness, and the faint flame of her life flickered out shortly before twelve o'clock. She was fifty-seven years old. 

Though death was sudden and unexpected, it was not unprepared, for Sister had been to confession the day before, and had received Holy Communion (Viaticum) but a few hours earlier. At the time of the attack she was evidently on her way to the chapel to take meditation as she had her meditation book in her hand.

Though Sister did not live to see her cherished wish fulfilled, plans were already under way for the foundation in St. Louis, and we cannot doubt that her intercessory prayers have drawn and will continue to draw down many blessings on this sanctuary. Her relatives, still living in the city at the time of her death, had rendered many services to the Sisters both at Clyde and in St. Louis.