Sr. Roberta Kolasa, president of the community of the Servants of Jesus in the Archdiocese of Detroit, died Sept. 25. She was 75.

Sr. Kolasa was born Sept. 22, 1938, in Saginaw, the younger of the two children of Stanley and Grace Kolasa (Kosinski). Roberta graduated from Holy Rosary High School in 1956 and entered the Felician Sisters’ convent in Livonia in September 1956.

After receiving her B.A. from Madonna College in Livonia, Roberta was well prepared to teach English, Latin and religious studies in several high schools in the Archdiocese of Detroit and the Diocese of Saginaw.

In 1964, she began studies in theology at Regina Mundi University in Rome. These studies inspired Roberta to devote her career to teaching Christian spirituality and theological classes to countless numbers of adults. She was primarily instrumental in beginning and directing the lay ministry program in the Diocese of Saginaw from 1984 until her retirement in 2009. Roberta also received an M.A. in Christian Spirituality from Creighton University in Omaha in 1982.

As a Felician Sister, Sr. Kolasa was involved in several leadership positions, including as formation director for the young sisters and a delegate to Rome for the chapters of the order in the late 1960s. In the summer of 1973, Sr. Kolasa was among the first sisters who founded the community of the Servants of Jesus, which received the official approval of the Vatican on Aug. 6, 1974. In addition to her ministry of spiritual direction, directorship of the lay ministry program and the Center for Ministry, work with engaged couples, teaching weekend theology, Scripture and spirituality classes, and directing retreats and workshops, Sr. Kolasa spent several years of leadership in the Servants of Jesus Community. She was president of the community at the time of her passing. During her years of ministry, Sr. Kolasa was recognized with an award from the National Association of Lay Ministry and the Saginaw Catholic Schools Hall of Fame.

A funeral liturgy was Oct. 3 at Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Shields. Fr. William Taylor presided. A private interment will be at Mt. Olive Cemetery.

Sr. Kolasa is survived by her brother Frank (Norma); many nieces and nephews; great-nieces and nephews; friends and colleagues; lay ministers; caretakers; and the sisters and associates of the Servants of Jesus religious community.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to the Servants of Jesus Retirement Fund.