Sister Mary Michael Koebele, SSND
(née Frances Elizabeth Koebele)
First Profession August 2, 1940
Motherhouse
St. Louis, Missouri
On October 31, 1918, the sixth and youngest child of Mary [nee Will] and Michael Koebele was born in Island Grove, Ill. She was baptized the following day at St. Joseph's Church in Island Grove and given the name Frances Elizabeth. Her oldest sister died at birth. She grew up with three sisters and a brother. Her parents gave the children a strong religious foundation and also provided a livelihood from tilling the soil.
Frances attended the Island Grove public grade school and Teutopolis Township High School. A great sorrow came to the family when her mother died a month before Frances graduated from high school.
During her high school years, Frances became acquainted with the School Sisters of Notre Dame who were on the faculty. She was drawn to enter SSND but also struggled with answering this call. She applied for a position at St. Mary's Hospital, St. Louis, and told herself that if she did not receive employment by August 15, she would take that as a sign that she should enter SSND. The job offer came a few days after she entered the candidature on September 2, 1936. After two years of junior college, she was missioned to teach fifth grade at St. Francis Borgia, Washington, Mo. She was received into the novitiate on August 1, 1939, and given the name Mary Michael in honor of her parents.
Profession of first vows was on August 2, 1940, and perpetual vows on August 2, 1946. For the first nine years following profession, she taught elementary students at St. Mary, Belleville; Sacred Heart, Effingham; and St. Mary, Alton in Illinois; and St. Wenceslaus, St. Louis. The next 16 years were spent teaching home economics to high school students at Notre Dame High School, St. Louis; St. Peter/Duchesne High School, St. Charles, Mo.; and St. Mary of the Pines, Chatawa, Miss.
After 25 years in the classroom, she began 39 years in community service. She assisted in the novitiate for four years and was the chaplain's housekeeper in the motherhouse for one year. Sister Mary Michael had always hoped to minister to our sisters at Villa Gesu, and in 1971 her wish was granted. For the next 28 years, she served our sisters in a variety of capacities as driver, sacristan, switchboard operator, ward clerk, chaplain's housekeeper, in the dining room and diet kitchen, caring for flowers and doing yard work, etc.
When the Villa closed in 1999, she came to the motherhouse and was assistant postmistress. After six years, her own health required that she retire at Veronica House. In January 2007, she was transferred to Anna House. Sister Mary Michael witnessed many of our sisters growing old gracefully and accepting the loss of various abilities. She, too, would be counted among them during the last years of her life. In mid-June 2010, she was placed on hospice after several hospital visits. She died peacefully, with sisters praying with her, around 10:20 a.m. on July 5, 2010, at Anna House. She donated her body to St. Louis University School of Medicine.
A prayer service was held at Anna House on July 8, 2010, and a memorial Mass was celebrated at the motherhouse on July 17. Many relatives, friends and SSNDs joined in thanking God for the gift of her life.
Sister Mary Michael loved her family and was cherished by them. She was a peaceful, gentle and kind person. Her dependability was evident in the various responsibilities she was given. Prayerful and self-sacrificing, she lovingly cared for our aged and sick sisters. On May 23, 2010, she celebrated her 70th Jubilee at Anna House. May she now rejoice in the celebration of her eternal life with the God she so faithfully served!
(School Sisters of Notre Dame, St. Louis Province)
Eternal rest grant unto her, O Lord!
(née Frances Elizabeth Koebele)
First Profession August 2, 1940
Motherhouse
St. Louis, Missouri
On October 31, 1918, the sixth and youngest child of Mary [nee Will] and Michael Koebele was born in Island Grove, Ill. She was baptized the following day at St. Joseph's Church in Island Grove and given the name Frances Elizabeth. Her oldest sister died at birth. She grew up with three sisters and a brother. Her parents gave the children a strong religious foundation and also provided a livelihood from tilling the soil.
Frances attended the Island Grove public grade school and Teutopolis Township High School. A great sorrow came to the family when her mother died a month before Frances graduated from high school.
During her high school years, Frances became acquainted with the School Sisters of Notre Dame who were on the faculty. She was drawn to enter SSND but also struggled with answering this call. She applied for a position at St. Mary's Hospital, St. Louis, and told herself that if she did not receive employment by August 15, she would take that as a sign that she should enter SSND. The job offer came a few days after she entered the candidature on September 2, 1936. After two years of junior college, she was missioned to teach fifth grade at St. Francis Borgia, Washington, Mo. She was received into the novitiate on August 1, 1939, and given the name Mary Michael in honor of her parents.
Profession of first vows was on August 2, 1940, and perpetual vows on August 2, 1946. For the first nine years following profession, she taught elementary students at St. Mary, Belleville; Sacred Heart, Effingham; and St. Mary, Alton in Illinois; and St. Wenceslaus, St. Louis. The next 16 years were spent teaching home economics to high school students at Notre Dame High School, St. Louis; St. Peter/Duchesne High School, St. Charles, Mo.; and St. Mary of the Pines, Chatawa, Miss.
After 25 years in the classroom, she began 39 years in community service. She assisted in the novitiate for four years and was the chaplain's housekeeper in the motherhouse for one year. Sister Mary Michael had always hoped to minister to our sisters at Villa Gesu, and in 1971 her wish was granted. For the next 28 years, she served our sisters in a variety of capacities as driver, sacristan, switchboard operator, ward clerk, chaplain's housekeeper, in the dining room and diet kitchen, caring for flowers and doing yard work, etc.
When the Villa closed in 1999, she came to the motherhouse and was assistant postmistress. After six years, her own health required that she retire at Veronica House. In January 2007, she was transferred to Anna House. Sister Mary Michael witnessed many of our sisters growing old gracefully and accepting the loss of various abilities. She, too, would be counted among them during the last years of her life. In mid-June 2010, she was placed on hospice after several hospital visits. She died peacefully, with sisters praying with her, around 10:20 a.m. on July 5, 2010, at Anna House. She donated her body to St. Louis University School of Medicine.
A prayer service was held at Anna House on July 8, 2010, and a memorial Mass was celebrated at the motherhouse on July 17. Many relatives, friends and SSNDs joined in thanking God for the gift of her life.
Sister Mary Michael loved her family and was cherished by them. She was a peaceful, gentle and kind person. Her dependability was evident in the various responsibilities she was given. Prayerful and self-sacrificing, she lovingly cared for our aged and sick sisters. On May 23, 2010, she celebrated her 70th Jubilee at Anna House. May she now rejoice in the celebration of her eternal life with the God she so faithfully served!
(School Sisters of Notre Dame, St. Louis Province)
Eternal rest grant unto her, O Lord!
Sister Mary Michael Koebele, SSND
(née Frances Elizabeth Koebele)
First Profession August 2, 1940
Motherhouse
St. Louis, Missouri
On October 31, 1918, the sixth and youngest child of Mary [nee Will] and Michael Koebele was born in Island Grove, Ill. She was baptized the following day at St. Joseph's Church in Island Grove and given the name Frances Elizabeth. Her oldest sister died at birth. She grew up with three sisters and a brother. Her parents gave the children a strong religious foundation and also provided a livelihood from tilling the soil.
Frances attended the Island Grove public grade school and Teutopolis Township High School. A great sorrow came to the family when her mother died a month before Frances graduated from high school.
During her high school years, Frances became acquainted with the School Sisters of Notre Dame who were on the faculty. She was drawn to enter SSND but also struggled with answering this call. She applied for a position at St. Mary's Hospital, St. Louis, and told herself that if she did not receive employment by August 15, she would take that as a sign that she should enter SSND. The job offer came a few days after she entered the candidature on September 2, 1936. After two years of junior college, she was missioned to teach fifth grade at St. Francis Borgia, Washington, Mo. She was received into the novitiate on August 1, 1939, and given the name Mary Michael in honor of her parents.
Profession of first vows was on August 2, 1940, and perpetual vows on August 2, 1946. For the first nine years following profession, she taught elementary students at St. Mary, Belleville; Sacred Heart, Effingham; and St. Mary, Alton in Illinois; and St. Wenceslaus, St. Louis. The next 16 years were spent teaching home economics to high school students at Notre Dame High School, St. Louis; St. Peter/Duchesne High School, St. Charles, Mo.; and St. Mary of the Pines, Chatawa, Miss.
After 25 years in the classroom, she began 39 years in community service. She assisted in the novitiate for four years and was the chaplain's housekeeper in the motherhouse for one year. Sister Mary Michael had always hoped to minister to our sisters at Villa Gesu, and in 1971 her wish was granted. For the next 28 years, she served our sisters in a variety of capacities as driver, sacristan, switchboard operator, ward clerk, chaplain's housekeeper, in the dining room and diet kitchen, caring for flowers and doing yard work, etc.
When the Villa closed in 1999, she came to the motherhouse and was assistant postmistress. After six years, her own health required that she retire at Veronica House. In January 2007, she was transferred to Anna House. Sister Mary Michael witnessed many of our sisters growing old gracefully and accepting the loss of various abilities. She, too, would be counted among them during the last years of her life. In mid-June 2010, she was placed on hospice after several hospital visits. She died peacefully, with sisters praying with her, around 10:20 a.m. on July 5, 2010, at Anna House. She donated her body to St. Louis University School of Medicine.
A prayer service was held at Anna House on July 8, 2010, and a memorial Mass was celebrated at the motherhouse on July 17. Many relatives, friends and SSNDs joined in thanking God for the gift of her life.
Sister Mary Michael loved her family and was cherished by them. She was a peaceful, gentle and kind person. Her dependability was evident in the various responsibilities she was given. Prayerful and self-sacrificing, she lovingly cared for our aged and sick sisters. On May 23, 2010, she celebrated her 70th Jubilee at Anna House. May she now rejoice in the celebration of her eternal life with the God she so faithfully served!
(School Sisters of Notre Dame, St. Louis Province)
Eternal rest grant unto her, O Lord!
(née Frances Elizabeth Koebele)
First Profession August 2, 1940
Motherhouse
St. Louis, Missouri
On October 31, 1918, the sixth and youngest child of Mary [nee Will] and Michael Koebele was born in Island Grove, Ill. She was baptized the following day at St. Joseph's Church in Island Grove and given the name Frances Elizabeth. Her oldest sister died at birth. She grew up with three sisters and a brother. Her parents gave the children a strong religious foundation and also provided a livelihood from tilling the soil.
Frances attended the Island Grove public grade school and Teutopolis Township High School. A great sorrow came to the family when her mother died a month before Frances graduated from high school.
During her high school years, Frances became acquainted with the School Sisters of Notre Dame who were on the faculty. She was drawn to enter SSND but also struggled with answering this call. She applied for a position at St. Mary's Hospital, St. Louis, and told herself that if she did not receive employment by August 15, she would take that as a sign that she should enter SSND. The job offer came a few days after she entered the candidature on September 2, 1936. After two years of junior college, she was missioned to teach fifth grade at St. Francis Borgia, Washington, Mo. She was received into the novitiate on August 1, 1939, and given the name Mary Michael in honor of her parents.
Profession of first vows was on August 2, 1940, and perpetual vows on August 2, 1946. For the first nine years following profession, she taught elementary students at St. Mary, Belleville; Sacred Heart, Effingham; and St. Mary, Alton in Illinois; and St. Wenceslaus, St. Louis. The next 16 years were spent teaching home economics to high school students at Notre Dame High School, St. Louis; St. Peter/Duchesne High School, St. Charles, Mo.; and St. Mary of the Pines, Chatawa, Miss.
After 25 years in the classroom, she began 39 years in community service. She assisted in the novitiate for four years and was the chaplain's housekeeper in the motherhouse for one year. Sister Mary Michael had always hoped to minister to our sisters at Villa Gesu, and in 1971 her wish was granted. For the next 28 years, she served our sisters in a variety of capacities as driver, sacristan, switchboard operator, ward clerk, chaplain's housekeeper, in the dining room and diet kitchen, caring for flowers and doing yard work, etc.
When the Villa closed in 1999, she came to the motherhouse and was assistant postmistress. After six years, her own health required that she retire at Veronica House. In January 2007, she was transferred to Anna House. Sister Mary Michael witnessed many of our sisters growing old gracefully and accepting the loss of various abilities. She, too, would be counted among them during the last years of her life. In mid-June 2010, she was placed on hospice after several hospital visits. She died peacefully, with sisters praying with her, around 10:20 a.m. on July 5, 2010, at Anna House. She donated her body to St. Louis University School of Medicine.
A prayer service was held at Anna House on July 8, 2010, and a memorial Mass was celebrated at the motherhouse on July 17. Many relatives, friends and SSNDs joined in thanking God for the gift of her life.
Sister Mary Michael loved her family and was cherished by them. She was a peaceful, gentle and kind person. Her dependability was evident in the various responsibilities she was given. Prayerful and self-sacrificing, she lovingly cared for our aged and sick sisters. On May 23, 2010, she celebrated her 70th Jubilee at Anna House. May she now rejoice in the celebration of her eternal life with the God she so faithfully served!
(School Sisters of Notre Dame, St. Louis Province)
Eternal rest grant unto her, O Lord!
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