Sister Madeleine Henkel, O.S.B.

Services were held today for Sister Madeleine Henkel, Order of St. Benedict, who died Tuesday in Burlington, Iowa Medical Center after a long illness.  The Rev. John O’Connor celebrated the mass in St. Mary’s Priory Chapel, Nauvoo.  Concelebrants were the Rev. Thomas Fahey and the Rev. Ray Cusack.

She was born Pauline Henkel in Sublette.  She entered the Benedictine Order on Jan. 1, 1930, at Nauvoo and made her final profession July 16, 1934.  Sister Madeleine had celebrated her Golden Jubilee on August 6.

She was a graduate of St. Mary’s Academy, Nauvoo, and received her B.S. degree in music from St. Ambrose College.  She continued to further her education in instrumental music at Bradley University, Peoria, and then transferred to Vandercook Music College, Chicago, where , as the first nun to attend, she earned a B.S. degree in instrumental music.

Between 1937 and 1950 she was on the faculty of St. Boniface School at Peoria, and she formed the later well-known St. Boniface Grade School Band.  In 1950 she transferred to the staff of Alleman High School, Rock Island, and remained there until 1987.  During this period she founded and developed the Alleman High School Band and Glee Club.

In 1967 she became a teacher in Chicago’s Presentation School where she began the period of her life devoted to the underprivileged people of the Lawndale area.  In 1975 she changed the center of her activity to H.I.C.A., a child development corporation in the Lawndale community.  She was a staff member, fundraiser and writer for the organization.

In 1980 Sister Madeleine was the recipient of the George W. Collins Youth Service Award for 14 years of continuous contribution to the development and nurturing of the minds and talents of Lawndale youth.

She was preceded in death by her parents.