Sister Eleonora, 1895 Obituary

SCHULTE, LUEHRSMANN, NACKE, OCONNOR

Posted By: David Reineke (email)
Date: 4/24/2007 at 19:55:45

I translated the following obituary from Der Carroll Demokrat, a German-language newspaper published in Carroll, Iowa, between about 1874 and 1920. It was originally published on Friday, 29 March 1895. Any information in brackets or notes at the end are my own explanations. It reads as follows:

Laid to Final Rest
[Sister Eleonora]

Last week, because the type forms had already been closed, we were only ably to report briefly on the death of Sister Eleonora, Mother Superior of the Franciscan Sisters of Carroll. As we were informed later, the worthy Sister had suffered a great deal and it was necessary to administer opiates in order to subdue the severe pain. Thus the resulting death was more of a redemption.

The mortal remains were put to lie in state in the chapel of the college. She lay there in the habit of her order, peaceful and calm, as she also seemed in life. The interior of the chapel, as well as the altar, were hung with black and white crepe and lent everything a somber impression. Hundreds of people traveled there on Sunday in order to cast one last look upon the countenance of the deceased.

The burial took place on Monday morning from St. Joseph’s Church. The pretty church was filled to the last seat, and chairs even had to be placed in the center aisles to provide seats for all the visitors. The funeral service was read by the Rev. Father from Breda. The German sermon was read by the Rev. Father Luehrsmann of Mt. Carmel. It made a lasting impression on all the listeners. He mentioned the noble standing of the Sister, in particular the many merits of the deceased and that she had belonged to the holy Franciscan Order for 25 years. The Rev. Father Murphy from Vail read the English sermon.

After the funeral service, the funeral procession formed, which very certainly might have been the largest that ever took place in Carroll. At the front walked the sacristans, then the school children of both parishes, the Ladies’ Sodality, the Men’s Sodality, then the hearse with girls dressed in white as the bearers, then followed the local Sisters and many from out of town, and then the priests from the county: Rev. Conrad Schulte from Breda; Rev. Luehrsmann from Mt. Carmel; Rev. Schulte from Templeton; Rev. Murphy from Vail; Rev. Gehling from Willey; Rev. Nacke and Rev. O’Connor from Carroll, then the parish members on foot, and citizens in buggies. R. I. P.

NOTES: The obituary does not give the deceased's last name.