Eulogy for Sister Sylvia Winterscheidt

Sister Jean Rosemarynoski, Eulogist

At the beginning of the 1900’s, there was a town in Brown County, Kansas, called Germantown. It was a settlement of German immigrants and descendants.

That is where Henry and Mary Josephine Burkart Winterscheidt raised their twelve children. Their youngest child was born at home on September 8, 1932 and baptized Loretta Marie, whom we know as Sister Sylvia.

By the time Loretta was born, the town had changed its name to Mercier. Because of World War I, the United States government had started a campaign to erase German culture from the U.S. Being predominantly Catholic, the town was renamed after Joseph Mercier, a Belgium cardinal renowned for his scholarly works, resistance to German occupation, and his courageous protest against them.

Mercier and the local parish, St. Peter’s, were important parts of who Sister Sylvia was. She attended Catholic grade school and played the organ for daily Mass.

She grew up on a farm living in the house built by her father. She was immersed in religion and German culture. Classmates and neighbors were considered good friends, and strong values were passed on to them by older generations. Sylvia spoke often of her hometown and shared articles about it that she had kept through the years.

When she entered high school, she had to transfer to the public school. Being very shy that was a traumatic experience for her. Also, her older sister had been an outstanding student and leader, and teachers expected Sylvia to follow in her footsteps. She said of her teenage years, “They were the best of times and the worst of times.” Yet, even though there were challenges, one of the things she shared with me several months ago was a list of classmates who graduated with her from Horton High School in 1950. All of them always remained in her heart.

A defining moment for Sylvia was the sudden death of her mother shortly after her 16th birthday. She was very close to her mother and did not know how to deal with the feelings of grief, abandonment, and anger. She herself says, “It was not fair. I was angry with God. How could there be a loving God as I believed?” It would be years later before she began to learn how to process those feelings.

That death, along with others, shaped her perception of God. When she was 4 years of age, a brother drowned. Three older brothers had been in World War II; her mother died when she was 16, and her father died when she was 21. She felt that God demanded much of her, yet she also believed that God always saw her through the difficulty somehow.

She also turned to Mother Mary for guidance. As a child, she built “May altars” and prayed the rosary. She prayed three Hail Marys daily: one, to choose the right vocation; two, to follow it faithfully; and three, to have a happy death.

She had wanted to become a sister since she was young and always assumed she would do that. After her mother died, she was left to care for her father – cooking, cleaning, and so on. She felt a great loyalty to him and agonized over what to do. There was an occasion when she had to be gone for a weekend. When she returned, she realized that her father did fine without her.   Now, she was free to enter community.

In late June of 1951, she wrote to ask Mother Chrysostom permission to enter. In the letter she sent, her name, Loretta, is imprinted in italics at the top of the stationary. She credits her cousin, S. Margaret Ann Buser, along with her pastor, Fr. Sylvester Wietharn, with helping her choose the Sisters of St. Joseph.  She closes her letter with these words, “I have been praying every day to know my vocation. I hope I am making the right choice. I do not know if I have told you all I should, but I am sure you will help me. Please remember me in your prayers.”

Fr. Wietharn wrote to Mother Crysostom on Loretta’s behalf. It was quite a lengthy letter and included these comments: “I most sincerely and unhesitatingly recommend Miss Winterscheidt. I believe that she will prove to be a splendid sister, having the qualities of character necessary for that real religious spirit and holy enthusiasm…when you know Loretta I am sure you will agree.”

She entered the Sisters of St. Joseph on her 19th birthday, September 8, 1951. She took the habit on March 19, 1952, and was given the name Sister Sylvia, a name she’d suggested in gratitude to her former pastor, Father Sylvester, for his help in her discernment. She professed temporary vows on March 19, 1953, and final vows on March 19, 1956.

S. Sylvia could relish joy while staying grounded in reality. She was very frank in her letter asking for permission to make final vows. She praised God for the grace of a holy vocation and stated she knew it was right for her, yet she could speak honestly about times when “it seemed God’s plans were in a fog.” 

Her years at Marymount were such times, filled with trials and even doubts about her vocation.

Mother Chrysostom acknowledged S. Sylvia’s self-assessment, saying that even though the year at Marymount and since she entered has been a “real struggle,” she noted that S. Sylvia “conquered them bravely and well.” She went on to say that S. Sylvia was more mature in her outlook than most others her age. Later, Syl also recognized a grace in overcoming these difficulties and knew this was where she was called.

That was a very unique and rare wisdom that S. Sylvia had – being able to think clearly when emotions were running strong.

In Seguin, KS, she was assigned to teach 1, 2 5, and 6th grades all in one room plus ride the school bus with the children from early morn till early evening.  In the little bit of leisure time that she had, there was absolutely nothing to do in the town that could serve as a distraction. Syl found all this overwhelming.  She wrote Mother Helena, telling of her exasperation with the situation and saying that maybe “religious life was not for me.”  She was sure she would get a quick response but Mother Helena waited over a month to answer. When she did, she simply said, “I hope you have passed over your pensive mood.”  

S. Sylvia earned a BA in English from Marymount College in 1963 and a Master’s degree in 1982 from Creighton University in Pastoral Ministry.

She also received specialized training in Dream Workshops, Intensive Journaling, and Guided Imagery and, in 1993, went to Switzerland for training in Jungian Psychosynthesis.

Her ministries included 21 years of teaching in elementary and secondary schools, eight years in parish ministry and adult education, and ten years of retreat work and spiritual direction. Her ministries took her to several towns in Kansas as well as Nebraska, Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, Texas, New York and Canada.

She devoted her sabbatical year to writing manuals for Parish Bible Study. She worked with RCIA and created guides for teaching the faith to developmentally disabled youth and adults. One of her great joys in Nebraska was helping a Vietnamese family of 10 resettle who had just arrived from a refugee camp. She did many other good works that are too numerous to list. Syl was very accomplished.

But the takeaway from all of that is this:  Sylvia unceasingly devoted her life to helping people deepen their faith by strengthening their relationship with God and deepening their own interior personal growth. Sylvia was extremely gifted in guiding people to that place where they have an “aha moment” and see the intersection of the two.

A huge part of her ability to do that was her willingness to be vulnerable. She was transparent in sharing her own pain and struggles. She believed that in life, one thing builds on another. Healing comes gradually, and you cannot rush it. Her authenticity gave people the confidence to keep working with their own pain.  

Clients, former students, and parishioners all loved Syl. When we lived together at Hillside, she showed me cards and gifts that she continued to receive from people she interacted with decades ago. That has continued.  The people have never forgotten her.

If you knew Syl, you know she was a people person. She loved her family – absolutely loved her family. We heard the tales of Fishy, Gene, the in-laws, the nieces and nephews, and all the extended family. She looked forward to gatherings in Omaha and Kansas City. To her family… We know all about you. We prayed you through your schooling, through your marriages, your jobs, and through your illnesses. And then, other times, we prayed either just because or just in case.

All of her siblings – Alta, Ruth, Aloysius, Margaret, Gerald, Dorothy, Bernice, Vincent, Urban, Eugene, and Edith – preceded her in death, but she kept in contact with their families.

She deeply loved her sisters in community also. She had the gift of thoughtfulness. She was good at writing notes, encouraging people, volunteering to help where needed, serving on committees and working with women in initial formation and so much more. Even last week she was helping Vietnamese sisters learn English. And she was to be on a retreat by Zoom with a candidate tomorrow.

She also was a woman of gratitude, often writing thank you notes, recognizing the kindness of others, and acknowledging the abundant generosity of God.

Syl had a fine mind. She had a rare wisdom that often knew how to approach a situation when nothing else seemed possible. I always knew when Syl spoke at the microphone during communal meetings that we would hear a fresh and unique perspective.

While Syl was totally given to her ministries and serving God’s people, she also knew how to take care of herself – especially after having two heart surgeries – and how to have fun.

She and S. Rita Ann Mazanec would take vacations together. They would load the cooler with food for the whole week and take off to what she called “wanderings,” just taking off and exploring small towns. She always had an interest in the local people and culture wherever she lived.

She could be playful. When people had difficulty pronouncing her name, she would say, “Instead of a summer blanket, think of a winter sheet.”

Through the years, her favorite pastimes included sewing, knitting, cooking, macramé, playing guitar, and sports. In her retirement years, Syl delighted in making jelly and jams and kept the Nazareth Gift Shop fully stocked due to the high demand.

Sylvia was faithful in praying the Hail Marys including the one for a happy death. To us, the suddenness of her death was a shock. But just last week, Sylvia got things in order. She made sure we had current phone numbers to contact the correct people, checked the Scripture readings for her funeral, and updated her life review. Just last week.

She knew something we didn’t.

I believe Sylvia’s prayer was answered. She suffered physically for only a few hours. Yet, she was conscious throughout and clearly intentionally chose comfort care over further treatment, saying, “I am ready to meet God”.  The last line of her updated life review reads, “I look forward to the day I will join all my family in heaven, especially my mom and Jesus’ mother, Mary.”

That desire became a reality for her just before midnight on Sunday, February 9 – just two days after what would have been her mother’s birthday. What a beautiful reunion that must be.