75 YEARS
Sister Pauline Wittry (Danielle) was born in Coon Rapids, Iowa. For 22 years, she ministered in dietetics at St. Mary’s Hospital, Sparta, and St. Francis Hospital, La Crosse. She then served as a practitioner of counseling psychology and clinical pastoral education supervisor in Illinois and La Crosse, earned a master’s in religious education and served Marywood Franciscan Spirituality Center and Ladysmith Senior Center as a spiritual counselor. She now resides at the Villa.
70 YEARS
Sister Marydel Bissen is from Johnsburg, Minn., and for most of her religious life ministered as a homemaker in convents in Wisconsin and Iowa. She then served for five years as a dietary aide at St. Rose Convent and for 13 years in religious services at the Villa, where she lives and ministers in prayer and witness today.
Sister Pat Gordon (Sheila Marie) is a native of Spokane, Wash. She taught in primary schools in La Crosse and high schools in Oregon and Spokane (Marycliff), where she also served as vice principal and principal. She then ministered as a DRE in Spokane, Nevada and California, as FSPA Western Region leader and as director of FSPA’s Clare Center Franciscan Spirituality Center in Spokane. She retired to St. Rose Convent in 2016.
In 1952, Sister Louise Marie Guralski began a ministry of music, teaching in Washington and Wisconsin and serving as organist and choir director. She also served FSPA as Eastern Region secretary. Beginning in 1990, her ministries in Wisconsin parishes included DRE, RCIA, sacramental preparation and organist. Upon retirement she volunteered as a religious educator and parish organist. In 2006, she became liturgy coordinator at the Villa, where she lives and plays organ today.
Sister Mary Boniface Kriener of Waucoma, Iowa, ministered for 47 years as a radiology technologist. She also served as an x-ray technologist, supervisor and instructor in Iowa and Idaho. In 1980, she became a staff technologist and clinical coordinator for students at Idaho State University, retiring in 1998 to volunteer at St. Vincent de Paul and Christ the King Parish. She has resided at St. Rose Convent since 2008.
Sister Eileen Neumann was born in Ancón, Panama. She ministered as a medical technologist in La Crosse, Hillsboro and Madison. She then served as a cytotechnologist in Arizona, Louisiana and Washington and in prison ministry in Nevada and California. Returning to Spokane, she served at the Clare Center as a master gardener. Sister Eileen now resides and ministers in prayer and hospitality at St. Rose Convent.
Sister Catherine O’Neill (Mary Timothy) of Dorchester, ministered as a convent homemaker, baker and driver in Wisconsin, Washington and Iowa for 30 years. She then began a 20-year ministry as a chaplain in Minnesota and La Crosse (St. Francis), where she was the first to serve cancer patients and received a Respect for Life Award for her care of AIDS/HIV patients. She retired to St. Rose Convent in 2000, volunteering in parishes and at MCHS.
Sister Donna Storms (Antonina) of Spokane, Wash., served in education and pastoral ministry. She taught in middle schools in Wisconsin, served as principal in Spokane, taught and served in parish ministry in Utah and in adult religious education in Oregon. Sister Donna ministered as a DRE in the Spokane Diocese for 15 years and a California parish for 11 years, where she volunteered until her retirement. She now resides at the Villa.
Sister Margaret Wenzel (Donelda), born in Stratford, Wash., ministered for 34 years as a primary school teacher at schools in Wisconsin, Washington and Iowa. Receiving certification in clinical pastoral ministry, she served as a chaplain in Little Rock, Ark., and Milwaukee. After retiring in 2004, she ministered as a hospital and parish volunteer. In 2008, Sister Margaret retired to St. Rose Convent where she ministers in prayer and hospitality.
Sister Mary Ann Wiesman (Tarcisia) was born in Stratford. With a master’s degree in curriculum and teaching, she ministered for 48 years as a primary school teacher in Washington and in nine schools in Wisconsin. Upon her retirement, Sister Mary Ann ministered in Marathon as a parish visitor. She now resides at St. Rose Convent, where she serves in the ministries of prayer and hospitality.
60 YEARS
Sister Mary Arnoldussen is from Kaukauna. She ministered for 22 years as an elementary school teacher in Wisconsin, Arizona and Hawaii and for 17 years as a DRE in Ohio and Arizona. Sister Mary was food service supervisor at St. Rose Convent for two years and a pastoral associate in Wisconsin for six. She returned to St. Rose to serve as FSPA Sister Services assistant coordinator, retiring in 2021.
Sister Sharon Bongiorno (Rowena) of Spokane, Wash., ministered as a teacher in Wisconsin, Washington and Utah for nine years. She taught high school math and chemistry in Spokane (Marycliff) and math and religion in Iowa, then served as a pastoral associate in Oregon and as a parish administrator in Washington. Since 2006, she’s served in Spokane as a parish minister and spiritual assistant to secular Franciscans in Idaho and Troubadours of Peace Region of the Northwest.
Sister Marcella Marie Dreikosen was born in Marathon. She served for nine years as a homemaker in convents and an academy in Wisconsin and Iowa and went on to minister in food service at Wisconsin hospitals in La Crosse (St. Francis) and West Allis. She ministered for 10 years as food service manager at St. Rose Convent. Now retired, she ministers in prayer and hospitality at St. Rose.
Sister Dorothy Ann Kundinger is from Auburndale. She earned degrees in English and education, taught for six years in junior high schools in Wisconsin and served as principal in Dodgeville. In 1979, she moved to Canton, Miss., teaching junior high school students, companioning Sister Thea Bowman’s cause and serving those with HIV/AIDS as a hospice care-giver. She now resides in Jackson, Miss., serving at Grace House and as a hospice chaplain.
Sister Jean Ann Rausch, born in Fort Atkinson, Iowa, ministered as a junior high school teacher in schools in Wisconsin and Iowa and as a guidance counselor in Algona, Iowa. With a master’s degree in theological studies, she served in Iowa for two years as a guidance counselor and for 20 years as a pastoral minister. Retiring in 2017, she now volunteers at Prairiewoods Franciscan Spirituality Center and Catherine McAuley Center in Hiawatha, Iowa.
Sister Marlou Ricke, from Carroll, Iowa, taught in primary schools in Wisconsin and Iowa. She then taught and served as a DRE in Oklahoma and was a pastoral minister in Minnesota. At Prairiewoods Franciscan Spirituality Center in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, her ministries included spiritual direction. She then served as an RCIA director in Colorado Springs, Colo. In 2018, she retired to the Villa, where she ministers in spiritual direction.
Sister Kathy Roberg was born in Spokane, Wash., and ministered for 20 years as a primary school teacher in Wisconsin, Utah, Oregon, Washington and California. She taught ESL and served as parish minister and religious education coordinator to Hispanic communities in New Mexico and Washington. For FSPA, she companioned discerning women in the formation phase of religious life in La Crosse. Today, she volunteers as an ESL teacher and justice advocate in Spokane.
Sister Evelyn Schlosser of Yakima, Wash., ministered from 1962 to 1966 as a clerk and portress at Viterbo University, for 13 years as a bookkeeper in Wisconsin, Iowa and Washington and for nine years as FSPA Western Region treasurer. At St. Rose Convent, she ministered as FSPA assistant treasurer and as a volunteer until retirement in 2016. She now serves in prayer and hospitality at St. Rose.