Sister Stories

Sister Donna Donovan

After the Salvation Army left Ottumwa in 2014, Sr. Donna and several volunteers organized a committee to continue the tradition of serving Thanksgiving dinner to the public. In their second year, they served 720 home deliveries and around 200 dine-in guests. Sr. Donna was quoted then, “We had lots and lots of people working behind the scenes...it’s a wonderful day of the legacy of truly thanks-giving.” Sr. Donna herself leaves a legacy as an outstanding teacher, community volunteer, and compassionate friend. I think she can be sure that her conviction that “a teacher’s job is to instill in young people the desire to learn” has borne fruit beyond measure.

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Sister Kathleen Tomlonovic

She earned a master's degree in Asian languages and literature from the University of Iowa and a doctoral degree from the University of Washington in Seattle. From 1983-85 she was a research fellowship awardee, studying at Beijing University and Sichuan University, China.

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Sister Karen Macksey

​After profession Sr. Karen taught at St. Vincent in Davenport and St. Austin in Minneapolis for a year each before going to St. Mary’s in Ottumwa for four years. While at St. Vincent’s, a 2-way radio system was arranged for a student who had to miss school because of rheumatic fever. The system was so sensitive that he could hear pages being turned in the classroom.

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Sister Marilyn Kraus

Sr. Jonita’ s first two years “on mission” were at St. Mary’s High School in Marshalltown, Iowa, from 1951 to 1953. Sr. Marian Smith says that the two of them would walk to Jackson’s bakery on Saturday and pick up all kinds of wonderful baked goods. From Marshalltown she went back to Ottumwa Heights where she taught biology to the academy students. She was there at the time of the fire in 1957 and moved with the Heights faculty, first to the mansion on Elm Street that had recently been purchased by the congregation. When classes could begin at the former Naval Air Base outside Ottumwa, she moved to the BOQ (Bachelors’ Officers Quarters) with the sisters, novices and college students from foreign countries.

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Sister Joanne Di Iulio

​Sr. Joanne Di Iulio was born in Silvis, and entered the Congregation of the Humility of Mary in 1948. Her first vows were pronounced in 1951.

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Sister Virginia Mary Bartholome

Her ministry as a teacher/librarian in Montana included St. Leo High School in Lewistown and Central Catholic High School in Great Falls. She was the head librarian at Marycrest College in Davenport and reference librarian at the Great Falls Public Library in Great Falls. She volunteered from 1997-2009, setting up the archives in the University of Great Falls library.

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Sister Kathleen Henneberry

Sister Kathleen is an active environmentalist and volunteer. Her ministries have included teaching and parish work in Iowa, Illinois and Minnesota...

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Sister Roberta Brich

The connection with the land and rural people has contributed to the sisters' distinguishing characteristics of simplicity and steadfastness in the face of major challenges.

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Sister Jude Fitzpatrick

Sr. Jude currently serves as director of administrative and special services for the Diocese of Des Moines.

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Sister Kathleen Hanley

Sr. Hanley was in music ministry in Montana. She enjoyed singing in the Billings Symphony Chorale and especially enjoyed volunteering as a "cuddler" in the neo natal intensive care unit at St. Vincent Healthcare. Sister Kathleen was dedicated to the ministry of prayer & witness.

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Sister Constance Pailliotet

The article has descriptions of special events held at the Agency and revealed how Sr. Connie had become part of families there. Of special significance were Connie’s efforts to enable students to know their Crow history and language. The bi-lingual program included aides and teachers who were fluent in Crow and could teach in that language and in English. In fact a former professor of Connie’s had linked her with a teacher from England who had a bi-lingual program for natives of Bangladesh. They had committed to sharing outcomes of their experiences.

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Sister Kathryn O'Meara

After teaching for several years Sr. Kathryn entered the health field. As an RN she worked in the medical nursing unit of St. Joseph Hospital, Ottumwa, IA, for several years before becoming a part of Project Hope, a land-based medical team that ministered in Tunis and Tunisia, Africa. She then entered the National Health Service Corps which let her minister as a family nurse practitioner to Native Americans through the Navajo Nation Health Foundation.

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Sister Claudellen Pentecost

Life in community is the best thing I've had. It fulfills a dream.

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Sister Rosalia Riedel

Sr. Rosalia received a BA in education from Marycrest College and received her Certified Nurses Aide training from Scott Community College in Bettendorf, Iowa. Her ministry of teaching found her in the Iowa cities of Centerville, Bettendorf, Albia, Des Moines, Oskaloosa and Ottumwa and in Lewistown, Montana and Rock Island, Illinois. She also was a program facilitator at the Center for Active Seniors (CASI) in Davenport.

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Sister Cecelia Vandeberg

Sr. Cecelia received a BA in music from Siena Heights College in Adrian, Michigan. Her ministry of teaching music and academics found her at schools in Montana including St. Mary (1941-59), St. Peter & Paul (1969-73), and Our Lady of Lourdes (1973-88) in Great Falls and St. Leo (1966-68) in Lewistown. She also taught music at St. Pius X in Rock Island, Illinois. From 1988 - 2012 Sr. Cecelia worked in hospital ministry in Great Falls, Montana.

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