In Memory of Sister Mary Lou Cota

June 15, 1937 – May 7, 2026

Sister Mary Lou Cota, (formerly Sister William Marie) 88, daughter of William and Marie (Hawes), was born on June 15, 1937, as Mary Lou Cota, in Harpers Ferry, Iowa. She entered the Sisters of the Presentation on September 8, 1955, and professed her perpetual vows on August 21, 1963.

She earned a Bachelor of Arts from Clarke College and a Master of Arts from St. Mary’s College, Winona, Minnesota. Sister Lou’s ministries took her to Ryan, Lawler, Farley, and Dubuque (St. Columbkille), all in Iowa, and St. Dorothy School and Augustus Tolton Catholic Academy, both in Chicago, Illinois, where she taught general science, physics, biology and computer science. After retiring from teaching, she served as a volunteer at St. Dorothy Parish and St. Gerard Majella Parish in Markham, before returning to Mount Loretto in 2021. She celebrated her 60th Jubilee in 2015. 

Deeply committed to justice, Sister Lou lived a life of quiet courage, deep compassion and unwavering faith. She immersed herself in diverse ministries, embracing every person she met with warmth and respect and celebrating the beauty in every culture. Whether volunteering in her parishes, visiting those who were homebound or simply sharing a conversation, she made everyone feel seen and valued. Sister Lou had a remarkable ability to connect across differences, to recognize the dignity in every person and to inspire others through her example of kindness and justice. Her life was a testament to the Presentation mission — bringing light, hope and love wherever she went.

Surviving are her sisters, Gena (Paul) Kramer and Sister Mary Kay, brother, Rich (June), nieces, nephews and the Sisters of the Presentation with whom she shared her life for 70 years.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her sisters Rose (Leo) Foley, Shirley (Jim) Scholle, and her brothers, Jerry (Marion), Robert (Mary Lou) and Leon (Ruth), and brother-in-law, Mel Jones.

Memorials may be made to the Sisters of the Presentation, 2360 Carter Road, Dubuque, Iowa, 52001, or online at www.dbqpbvms.org.