Detroit — Sr. Betty Ann Clor, SJ, “gave her whole life to the Church,” said Msgr. John Zenz, pastor of Holy Name Parish and former moderator of the Curia for the Archdiocese of Detroit.

He recounted the many roles in which Sr. Clor served the Church, “from teaching high school home economics to serving as secretary to a couple of our regional bishops and as archdiocesan archivist.”

A founding member of the Servants of Jesus religious community, Sr. Clor died Feb. 18 at Beaumont Hospital, Troy. She was 75 and in her 59th year of religious life.

“In all these different ministries, she was creative and attentive to detail, and had a healthy sense of humor,” Msgr. Zenz continued.

He noted Sr. Clor was also known for making liturgical vestments: “At one point, probably half the priests in the archdiocese had vestments made by Sr. Betty Clor.”

“Now, she is at peace and with her good friend, Sr. Barbara,” he said, referring to the late Sr. Barbara Celeskey, former archdiocesan chancellor, who along with Sr. Clor and other women religious — mostly former Felicians — founded the Servants of Jesus in 1974.

Betty Ann Clor was born April 13, 1936, in Detroit to Gertrude and Anthony Clor.

She entered the Felicians in Livonia in June 1953.

For years, she taught home economics classes at Catholic high schools in Detroit, Manistee, Riverview and Wyandotte. Her approach to teaching was described as hands-on, creative and productive.

In the mid-1980s, she served as pastoral associate at Sacred Heart Parish, Grosse Ile.

A highlight of these years was the reputation she built for designing and sewing liturgical vestments, antipendiums and banners. She also developed computer-enhanced gift items, cards and programs.

In early 1992, she accepted a full-time position with the archdiocese as secretary to Auxiliary Bishops Bernard Harrington and Moses Anderson. She also maintained the archival records of the closed schools in the archdiocese. 

Sr. Clor served in leadership with the Servants of Jesus for a three-year term and worked closely with Srs. Celeskey and Irene Doman on their semi-annual publication, the Servants’  Word.

Although she officially retired in 2007, Sr. Clor kept busy with special projects, spending time with her family, sewing vestments, and creating an array of greeting cards.

Sr. Clor’s death notice appeared in the Feb. 24 issue of  The Michigan Catholic.