St. Andrea Giltner, OSB 1928-2026

Sister Andrea Giltner, OSB, 97, of St. Mary Monastery, Rock Island, IL, passed away Thursday, January 8, 2026, at the monastery.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, January 13, 2026, in the Chapel of St. Mary Monastery, Rock Island. Visitation will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. Monday, January 12, 2026, at the monastery, with a Christian wake service at 7:00 p.m. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery, Rock Island. Wheelan-Pressly Funeral Home and Crematory, Milan, IL, is assisting with arrangements. Memorials may be made to St. Mary Monastery, Rock Island.

Sister Andrea (Mary Agnes) Giltner was born on August 8, 1928, in Kewanee, IL, a daughter of Horace Allen and Winifred Agnes (Maupin) Giltner. She entered the Benedictine Community on October 25, 1946. She made her first profession as a Benedictine Sister on July 12, 1948, and her final profession as a Benedictine Sister on August 23, 1951.

Sister Andrea attended St. Joseph, Peoria, IL (grade school); Academy of Our Lady, Peoria, IL (high school); St. Ambrose College, Davenport, IA (BA in Education); University of Illinois, Champaign, IL (Master's Degree in Education); DePaul University, Chicago, IL; Rosary College, River Forest, IL; and Quincy College, Quincy, IL. She also did studies in Special Education at Loyola University, Chicago, IL and Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD.

Sister Andrea's ministry included: teaching early education at Catholic Grade Schools in IL, in Moline, Atkinson, LaSalle, Peoria, and Monmouth and in Munster, IN. She served as a Resident Advisor at St. Mary's Academy, Nauvoo, IL, and as counselor at Assumption High School, Davenport, IA. She worked at the Benedictine School for Exceptional Children and Adults in Ridgley, MD, and in Social Services in the Peoria Diocese.

She is survived by her Benedictine Sisters; her sisters, Virginia (Giltner) Schlicksup, and Judy (Giltner) Davenport, many beloved nieces, nephews, grands and great grands.

Sister Andrea was preceded in death by her parents, Winifred and Horace Giltner, her sisters, Imelda (Giltner) Kelch and Margaret (Peggy) Giltner, and her brother, Joseph Giltner.

Online condolences may be shared at www.wheelanpressly.com.