Born Justina Metzger in Werbachhausen, southern Germany, on July 17, 1917, she was the youngest of seven children in a very religious family.
From an early age, it was her deep desire to enter religious life and to dedicate herself to the Lord and his people.
In 1934, Justina applied to be admitted to the Pallottine Sisters, becoming a postulant in 1937. In August 1938 she received the name Sr Othmara. Her first profession was in 1940.
Sr Othmara served in several places in her homeland. During World War II she served as a professional nurse in the military hospital in Limburg, where she experienced first-hand the horrors of war.
After the war, in1946, Sr Othmara made her final profession.
In 1948, she was sent to South Africa with nine other sisters, at the request of Bishop Francis Hennemann of Cape Town, himself a Pallottine.
In 1946 Sr Othmara’s sister Armella also joined the Pallottine Missionary Sisters. In April 1952, Armella followed her sibling to South Africa.
Most of Sr Othmara’s missionary work was performed as a professional nurse caring for the chronically ill children in St Joseph’s Home. She was the matron there for from 1964-81.
She was well known as a generous, capable and courageous religious woman, who developed a large network of contacts worldwide.
After her retirement in 1981, Sr Othmara came to stay at the provincial house, St Vincent Pallotti convent in Pinelands.
For some time, she continued to visit former children and staff from the home until she was confined to bed.
During this time the religious Sisters remember her as a loving, non-complaining community member.
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