“Best Wishes to a Good Friend… Sister Emeline”

Jun 22nd “Best Wishes to a Good Friend… Sister Emeline”

“Remembering Sister Emeline”

“Happy Birthday Sister Mary Emeline!”

Almost twenty years ago, one of my very best friends went to her Heavenly reward, Sister Mary Emeline Gander of the order of “Sisters of Christian Charity” in Wilmette, Illinois. Sister Emeline’s whole life was a continual prayer. Everything she did was with “LOVE!”

I first met Sister Emeline, while living at the “Orphan’s Home” and was assigned to work for her, in the “BOY’s” dining room, which was on the left side of the building on the ground floor. On the right side of building was the “Girl’s Dining Room” as the building was divided, with the “Chapel” right in the middle. The “Dormitories” and the “Playrooms” were also set up to accommodate the girls and boys separately, where as, if you were the oldest child of your family and a girl, your brothers then, would come to the “Girl’s Dining Room” for their meals – same way for the boys – and this was the only time as a family, you were together, just to eat your meals.

This was in the mid “1940’s” and each child would be assigned some type of work to do, which lasted six months. “Girls” were assigned to work in both dining rooms, and I was assigned to work in the “Boys’ Dinging Room” and a new NUN, “Sister Emeline” was in charge, and she was something, so much better than most of the “NUNS!” And then, maybe again, a year or two before I was to graduate from the 8th grade, I worked for “Sister Emeline” another six (6) months.

“Sister Emeline” became a good friend right away, because she was so nice to talk with, and just seem to understand what ever I wanted to say and or do when it came to decorating the “Dining Room” for the “Holidays” more importantly, she would talk to me as if I was a friend and what I had to say , always made some kind of sense? She was more friendly than most of the “Nuns” and that is what I liked and needed, since I missed my own family!

Also, “Sister Emeline” was one of four (5) sisters and one brother, who were also placed in the same “Orphan Hone” when their mother died and she was only three (3) years old. Four of the sisters did join the “Sisters of Christian Charity” her youngest sister, “Sister Mary Alvira” was my 5th and 6th grade teacher, and also became another very good friend, and later after leaving the Orphanage, I still kept in touch with them, until they each went to Heaven.

I miss not having such a good friend, as “Sister Emeline” we were always writing and sending stuff back and forth, always with the best of communications and up-lifting words, as I still have every card and letter. So hard to forget your really “good friends” no matter how long ago, since they may be gone from this Earth, but, a very good “FRIEND” is never ever forgotten!

Sister Mary Emeline – Happy Birthday! You will always be “Family” to me! D.V.