Sister Mary Edward Boeding, RSM

(1903 - 1999)

Great granddaughter of Franz Xavier Boeding (1796 - 1878)

Sister Mary Edward Boeding, RSM, died April 13, 1999, in Omaha, Nebraska after a long illness. She was the last living child of Edward Otto and Elizabeth (Lohman) Boeding. The following is the text of the eulogy delivered by Sister Jeanne Ward at Sister's funeral on April 17:

Sister Mary Edward Boeding was born Mary Elizabeth Boeding on September 26, 1903. She grew up in Seneca, Kansas, the tenth of eleven children to Edward and Mary Elizabeth Boeding. The love of God was surely present in that household as evidenced By the fact that two of Mary Edward’s sisters became Franciscan Sisters and one brother became a priest.

In 1927, at age 25, she entered the Sisters of Mercy in Denver, Colorado, and after six months was formally received into the community and received the habit. Already being a seasoned teacher, Mary Edward returned to the classroom after just one year of canonical novitiate. On August 18, 1932, she made final vows as a Sister of Mercy and never looked back.

During the next thirty years, she taught in a number of schools in Colorado and Kansas City, Missouri. Many of those years she served as principal, teacher, local superior and procurator of the community all at the same time.

In 1963, Mary Edward received what we called the ‘little white card’ from the Provincial. This card said, “I will go where I am sent and do what I am told!” Her new assignment was a move to Omaha to become Mistress of Juniors (formation responsibility for approximately 60 young women in their early 20’s).

I have often wondered these last few years what Mary Edward thought when she got that little white card. She never lived in Omaha and had spent 35 years teaching primary grade children -- something she loved so much. This challenge had to be taken totally in faith and obedience -- two of Sister’s strongest virtues. She became ‘houseparent’ and teacher to these young women studying for ministry and being formed as religious women. Loretta Siegele spoke last night at the wake about her recollections of Mary Edward trying her best to make proper ladies out of this sometimes unruly group of young women. What did she think and feel through those years? Her prayer must have been for strength and perseverance.

Sister Johneen Owens, Pat Guziec and I were among those first groups in 1963 in Mary Edward’s care and it is only in these later years, as we approach age 60 -- Mary Edward’s age when she made this major change in ministry -- that we have some understanding of the challenges she faced then.

Sister moved to Mercy Villa in 1986 from her beloved Colorado and was hoping to end her long years of service and physical suffering and go home to God. But God had other plans and asked her to suffer further physical and mental deterioration until this week, when He graciously called her home.

I have spent a lot of time with Mary Edward since coming back to Omaha in 1990. I have a much better appreciation of the things she taught us in the Juniorate, but even more in the great faith in God she taught me through these last years of her life. I believe she exemplified the words of St. Paul in his letter to the Galatians: “May I never boast of anything but the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ! Through it, the world has been crucified to me and I to the world. All that matters is that one is created anew. Peace and mercy on all who follow this rule of life, and on the Israel of God.”

By: Rev. Arnold A. Boeding

Mary Elizabeth Boeding was born on a farm near St. Lucas, Fayette County, Iowa at ten a.m. on September 26, 1903. That afternoon, she was baptized in St. Luke's Catholic Church by her uncle, the Reverend Francis Xavier Boeding. Sponsors were uncle Herman Boeding and Tante Betha Schmitt Boeding.

She was four years old when the family moved to Seneca, Kansas in 1907. There she attended the parochial school, St. Peter and Paul Catholic School. At the age of eight, she made her first Holy Communion at St. Peter and Paul Catholic Church on May 26, 1912. Father Lawrence Theis, OSB was pastor at the time.

In 1918, she graduated from the grade school. She remained at home one year to help her mother. In 1919, she entered Immaculate Conception Academy in Dubuque, Iowa. During her years at the academy, she worked in various jobs to help pay her tuition.

After her graduation from Immaculate Conception Academy, she attended short courses to qualify for a teacher's certificate in Kansas. Then she taught for two years in the one-room school across the road from the Boeding farm. Then she worked almost two years in the store of her sister Theresa in Seneca.

In June 1926, Mary accompanied her mother to Chicago to attend the Eucharistic Congress. After the Congress, mother returned to Seneca. Mary continued on a tour to the East with three girls from Wausau, Wisconsin, one a cousin, Louise Helling. The tour included the Sesquicentennial at Philadelphia, and visits to New York and Boston. In Canada they visited the shrine of St. Anne de Beaupre near Quebec; and the St. Joseph shrine in Montreal. Here they met the saintly Brother Andre who now (1981) is being considered for Canonization.

Later that summer there was a trip to San Antonio, Texas where I was stationed at St. Leo's Church. Then, on to Denver, Colorado. In Denver, she made a retreat in St. Rose Convent during which she definitely decided to enter religious life.

On February 14, 1927, she entered the Novitiate of the Sisters of Mercy on 17th and Milwaukee Streets, Denver Colorado. In August 1927, she was vested in the white veil of a Novice. This ceremony was attended her mother and Kathryn Wernert, a school mate from Norton, Kansas. At this time she received her name in religion, Sister Mary Edward.

Sister Mary Edward's first obedience (assignment) was to Durango, Colorado. There she taught the first grade. In 1937, she was assigned to St. Joseph's Catholic School in Denver, Colorado. Here, she was principal of the grade school, and again she taught the first grade.

In 1949, she was sent to Presentation (grade) School, in Denver. Here she had the combined role of teaching first grade, principal of the school and superior of the convent. In the years prior to 1962, there were brief assignments to Kansas City, Missouri and Greeley, Colorado, the exact dates are not known.

In the "early days", few nuns had completed their requirements for a college degree at the time of their profession of vows. Usually, at once, after the profession, they were assigned to teach. Then, in a series of "summer schools", they earned the credits for the degree. Gradually, teaching standards rose and nuns were no longer assigned as teachers before they had a college degree. To cope with this, many convents created new departments called Juniorate. The members of the Juniorate were the professed nuns who had not completed college work. In charge of the Juniorate was a nun with the title "Mistress of the Juniorate". The Juniorate for the Omaha Province of the Sisters of Mercy was located at St. Mary's College in Omaha, Nebraska. Sister Mary Edward was Mistress of the Juniorate for the years 1962 - 1966.

In 1966, Sister Mary Edward was transferred to Portland, Oregon where she served two years. This was followed by two years of service in Mercy Hospital in Roseburg, Oregon. In 1970 she returned to Mercy Hospital in Denver. This is where she entered religious life and received her training. Here her chief duty was in the hospital gift shop.