I became acquainted with the School Sisters of St. Francis in 1993 at the St. Joseph Retreat Center in Bailey’s Harbor, Wisconsin, when I attended a retreat there. My life journey to that point had been long and often challenging, but no less blessed.
I was born in Troy, New York, the second last of eleven children. I met my husband Ken when my brother set me up on a double date to a Knights of Columbus dinner dance. We married in 1948 and lived in Troy for a few years. After several moves for Ken’s work, we hatched our retirement idea of moving to Door County, Wisconsin. We had camped there with the younger kids, and it always reminded us of back east.
Ken and I retired to Door County in January 1983, snow and all. We moved into a chalet-style house that we built ourselves on Glidden Drive north of Sturgeon Bay. It had taken us five years to build it, driving back and forth from Northern Illinois on weekends.
All nine of our children helped in some way. We had three carpenter sons, one carpenter son-in-law, and many other children and in-laws who worked hard to make our dream of a home in the woods come true. Although it was a lot of hard work, we took time to enjoy the peace and beauty of the nearby sandy beach, the cozy woods, and the calming peace of the slower pace of life there. Once we moved in, we continued to complete the inside of our home and the grounds.
We met many wonderful neighbors and joined Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church. Ken became active in the church, and I joined the choir and volunteered in the parish school. We lived a nice routine, enjoying retirement.
When I found there was a retreat center nearby, I attended a retreat weekend. Sister Mary Anne Albert and Sister Lorraine Aspenleiter were both welcoming and the retreat was so spiritual and joyful. After I made another retreat, I decided to take advantage of the various offerings to volunteer, one being a “work week.” I met many other volunteers and sisters, and this began my desire to improve my prayer life and spirituality. It has been an enlightening journey. My soul has been enriched to know more of Jesus and his Church.
When I was invited to become an associate. I was delighted! When I was a young woman in New York, I had always intended to join the Third Order of Franciscans. So, being an associate of the School Sisters felt like an extension of a long-ago desire.
While working at the Retreat Center with the sisters and associates, I prayed for them and their missions all over the world. It made me feel a part of the true partnership in a very real way. In 1993, with the guidance and encouragement of Sister Mary Anne and Sister Lorraine, I made my first-year promise of commitment at St. Joseph Chapel in Milwaukee. Sister Mary Anne was my sponsor and both sisters aided on my journey in faith in the world.
St. Paul’s letter to the Philippians assures us, “We can do all things in Him who strengthens us!” (4:13) In 2001, Ken and I moved to Woodstock, Illinois, to be closer to our children when Ken started not feeling well. He eventually developed dementia and died in 2014.
Sister Mary Anne and Sister Lorraine remain true friends, and Sister Pat McCarthy always sends me information from the Chiara group, for which I am most grateful. I have felt badly over the years that I was not able to continue volunteering. I live now in the southern Illinois town of Marion, in a retirement apartment not too far from my two daughters. I can take care of myself, but no longer drive or travel. I lost one of my seven sons to a heart attack, but every one of my children has been married with children, and I have 21 grandchildren.
I appreciate being an associate and will continue to pray for missions here and abroad. I have a prayer list from my former parish in Wisconsin and I still pray for everyone. My prayer lists are many! I feel grateful to receive the congratulations and blessings from the School Sisters of St. Francis for celebrating 25 years as an associate.