Sister Roberta Haby, CDP
December 1, 1937 – January 9, 2026
Sister Roberta Haby, CDP age 90, entered eternal life on January 9, 2026. She was born on Christmas Day, 1935 in Hondo, Texas. She recently celebrated her 50th Jubilee as a Sister of Divine Providence. Her journey to the convent is exceptional: she answered the call to become a Sister of Divine Providence after teaching 4th grade at Storm Elementary for 17 years and establishing a homestead in Castroville, Texas. Her ministries as a woman religious were as vast as her gifts and talents that she shared generously with the world. She recognized and always shared how the common thread woven throughout the tapestry of her life was PROVIDENCE (God providing.)
Roberta’s life experiences prior to her entry into the convent enriched her life in many ways. She is a 1953 alumna of Providence High School, earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Education from Our Lady of the Lake College in 1957, and later a Master of Education degree. She created lifelong friendships, took care of her aging parents, purchased a home, traveled all over the USA and Europe, and enjoyed painting as a hobby. The pivotal point came when she became involved in religious education at her local (St. Louis) parish. She described it as a time when she fell in love with Jesus. Most importantly she discovered a God who loved her more than she could imagine.
It was during time spent at Moye Center in Castroville, with the parish’s Director of Religious Education who was a Sister of Divine Providence (CDP), that she got to know the CDP Sisters. She aligned with their beliefs and social justice action and felt the nudge. Timing did not seem right or practical, but she trusted her beloved and provident God. She answered the call to become a Sister of Divine Providence at an untraditional age: 40. This required her to leave her new home in Castroville, Texas and the cherished life she had enjoyed so far.
The next 50 years were filled with more abundant blessings mixed in with a few challenges. The latter confirmed God’s presence in her life. She served as a Director of Religious Education (DRE) at St. John the Evangelist and St. Dominic in San Antonio, Texas. Later she became the Associate Pastor at St. Rose of Lima in Schulenburg, Texas. She traveled throughout South Texas as an Occupational Therapist. She served her congregation directly as a member of the leadership team, and twice as a Coordinator who tended to the needs of the retired Sisters. In 2007, she became the Director of Feltin Center (an area in the convent dedicated to arts-n-crafts, sewing, quilting, baking, etc.) This was a role that defined her for the next 18 years. Her contributions to the quilt raffles for Moye Center’s Heritage Day became a sought-after tradition. The convent employees enjoyed her baking during holidays. Her fellow Sisters and friends knew they could count on her to mend, sew, and find the right material or sewing tools. She entered eternal life pleased with the colorful, creative, and vast tapestry that defined her earthly life. She is already missed by many!
She is survived by her nieces Linda Wurzbach and Holly Stouddard, numerous grand-nieces and nephews, her Sisters of Divine Providence and Associates. She was preceded in death by her parents Robert P. and Bertha (Kruse) Haby, and her brother Lynn Haby.
Her family and Sisters of Divine Providence will honor her with a Rosary and Wake on Thursday, January 22, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. Her Mass of Resurrection will be Friday, January 23, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. All services will be in Annunciation Chapel at Our Lady of the Lake Convent Center.
In lieu of flowers, you may wish to make a memorial contribution to the Sisters of Divine Providence, 603 S.W. 24th Street, San Antonio, TX 78207-4621.