History: The original Notre Dame Cemetery in Waterdown was blessed and opened in 1927 on property then owned by the School Sisters of Notre Dame on the west side of Snake Road. This property was referred to as ‘The pine grove’. Between 1931 and 1932 the bodies of the five Sisters buried in the pine grove cemetery, sisters: Blanda Stenger, Consortia Specht, Margaret Zetrtel, Stanislaus Hofoan and Rosalia Maurer, were transferred to a newly-chosen site for the cemetery. This was a plot of land east of the Motherhouse property itself. The site was chosen because of a much easier access, both for the funeral cortege as well as for Sisters wishing to visit the graves of the departed.

In 1944, upon the death of Mother M. Lucitta Loechler, Canadian Provincial Superior, a section for the burial of deceased Provincials was opened. A plaque was erected to commemorate Mother J. Baptist Klein, the first Canadian Provincial Superior and foundress of the Province, who is buried in Elm Grove, Wisconsin in the USA. Sister Othwina Tiefenfoniran, although not a Provincial Superior, was also buried in this plot. She is honoured as the co-foundress of the Province and it was felt that this would be an acknowledgement of her years of labour on behalf of the congregation in Canada.

In the 1980s plans to open a new section of cemetery materialized. A plot of land bordering the existing cemetery land was chosen for this purpose. The first Sister was buried in the new addition in January 1992. One hundred and sixty-one Sisters are buried in the original section, and to date, twelve Sisters rest in the new section. Two priests who were chaplains to the Sisters are also buried in the original section. [by the Motherhouse of the School Sisters of Notre Dame]

Note: Permission is needed to visit the cemetery.