Sister Fabian Dekat, O.S.B.
January 10, 1907 - December 28, 2007

When the history of Catholic education in the rural Midwest is written, authors will have something to write about because of people like Sister Fabian Dekat, OSB, a Benedictine Sister of Mount St. Scholastica, Atchison, Kans. Sister Fabian died Friday, Dec. 28, 2007, at the monastery in her 101st year of age and the 84th of her monastic profession. The vigil service will be on Sunday, Dec. 30, 2007, at 7 p.m. in the Mount St. Scholastica monastery chapel, Atchison, and the Mass of Resurrection will be celebrated there Monday, Dec. 31, at 10:30 a.m.

Sister Fabian was born Jan 10, 1907, to Sebastian Fabian and Margaret Noll Dekat of Flush, Kans., and baptized Helena Margaret Feb.10, 1907. She and her sister, Sister Sebastian (+1983) received their father's names as their names in religion. Sister Fabian entered her religious community in 1922 and made monastic profession in 1923. She earned a degree in biology and education from Mount St. Scholastica College and had lifetime teaching certificates for Kansas and Missouri. Sister Fabian taught children from primary through upper grades at Montrose, Clyde, Brookfield, and Maryville, Mo., and at Guardian Angels and St. Bernadette in Kansas City, Mo; at Westphalia, Argentine, Atchison, Paxico, Good Intent, Kelly, St. Benedict, Seneca, Axtell, Shawnee, and Topeka, Kans.; at Portsmouth, Iowa; and at Conejos, Colo. After she retired in 1980, her volunteer work caring for children in the nursery at The Mount Community Center brought her to the attention of The National Conference of Catholic Bishops who featured her in their 1995-96 poster promoting their annual collection for retired religious.

She was predeceased by her parents, by her sisters Dorothy, Margaret, Marguerite and Sister Sebastian, and by her brothers Romanus and Germanus (twins), Meinrad, Alphonse, Eugene, and Emmanuel. She is survived by her sister-in-law Ann Dekat, Hollister, Mo.; by many nieces and nephews, by cousins Rev.Carl Dekat and Rev. Earl Dekat, priests of the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas, and by her monastic family.

Memorials may be sent to Mount St. Scholastica or given online.

Let us remember her gratefully in our prayers.


S. Fabian's memorial card

"O God, you are my God, for you I long:
for you my soul is thirsting."
Ps. 62

On December 28, 2007, our beloved Sister Fabian Dekat went peacefully to God. At the time of her death, she was the oldest member of the community. She was born to Sebastian Fabian and Margaret Noll Dekat in 1907 in Flush, Kans. Sister Fabian entered in 1922 and made monastic profession in 1923. She and her sister (Sister Sebastian, 1983+) were given their father's names for their names in religion. Sister Fabian earned a degree in biology and education from Mount St. Scholastica College and had lifetime teaching certificates in Kansas and Missouri. During her professional career, she put her credentials to good use in the rural schools of four states, serving as teacher, principal, and librarian. In her early retirement years, she worked in the canning house, on a stamp project, and in filing for a friend. But children were her love, and she volunteered to care for them in the nursery at The Mount Community Center, rocking little ones to sleep each afternoon. A photo of her in this work was featured in the 1995-96 campaign for the U.S. bishops' annual collection for retired religious. She welcomed time for needlework, word and jigsaw puzzles, and card playing. Strict with herself and generous toward others, she showed us evenness, patience, and prayerful interest in her sisters and in community goals. Sister Fabian's gaze was clear and penetrating, and somehow conveyed the idea that she understood us and loved us. Let us remember her gratefully in prayer.

Reflection given at the Vigil service.

Article about Sister Fabian's 100th birthday. (Jan 10, 2007)
Article about Sister Fabian's 80th Jubilee of Profession celebration (Feb 20, 2003)