Sister Christy Cogil

I grew up mostly in Fairbury, Neb., where I attended St. Michael’s grade school and first met the Sisters of St. Joseph of Concordia. However, I lived some of my earlier years in Paxton and Sidney, Neb. I graduated from Fairbury High School, and then attended Marymount College in Salina, Kan., where I received my Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree.

My mother is Marge Thalken Cogil and father is Norm Cogil from the Ogallala area. I am the oldest of four brothers and one sister. I have aunts, uncles and cousins in North Platte, Paxton and Ogallala.

My first encounter of the Sisters of St. Joseph was when I attended St. Michael’s school in Fairbury. I started second semester of my fifth grade year when our family moved into the area. I didn’t have Sisters teaching me until seventh and eighth grade, but I was most influenced by the group of Sisters who came to Fairbury when I started high school.

Perhaps what influenced me most was a desire to be a missionary. Even though I have not been missioned outside of the United States, I have had many opportunities to fulfill my desire to be a missionary through varied cultural experiences in the Deep South and along the US/Mexico border.

Another influence was observing Sisters working together on projects they believed in such as providing a safe haven for Guatemalan refugees, excellent education in grade schools, high schools, and college, high-quality health care in hospitals, and tender, loving care through pastoral ministry in parishes, hospitals and with one another.

My first mission was in Kansas City where I worked as a RN for the Kansas City Health Department Infectious Disease Division. Then I served 11 years in Natchez, Miss., as a Home Health/Hospice nurse. After leaving Mississippi, I studied for my Master of Science in Nursing degree at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque.

I am an avid Cornhusker fan! You can take the girl out of the Cornhusker state, but you cannot take being a Cornhusker fan out of the girl. Swimming, walking, hiking, and traveling are leisure activities that energize me.
Cooking, reading, and good movies are relaxing.