Mother of God Monastery
110  28th Ave. SE ~  Watertown,  SD  57201
Phone: 605-882-6600  Fax: 605-882-6658
monastery@dailypost.com

OBITUARY

Sister Pauline Hericks

Sister Pauline (Regina Catherine) Hericks, 87, was born June 14, 1918, the fifth of twelve children of Henry and Magdalena (Meyer) Hericks.  Regina stated that her childhood was a happy one.  She received her elementary education at St. Anthony's School in Hoven, SD.  Regina loved to sing and wanted to learn music.  During those years, her father's crops were repeatedly destroyed  by drought and grasshoppers.  Money was not available for lessons, so her mother taught her the chords she knew and to satisfy her love for music, Regina learned to play by ear. 

Following graduation from the eighth grade, Regina was encouraged to earn money to help support their large family.  She worked as an aide to families living in town.  One family, in particular had an invalid mother, for whom she played "nursemaid".  It was she who encouraged Regina to become a nurse. 

At age 17, Regina entered Sacred Heart Convent, where she received her high school education.  Immediately after making her religious profession, Sister Pauline began her training at Scared Heart Hospital to become a Registered Nurse, graduating in 1941.  She was missioned  to hospitals in Parkston, and Yankton, SD, Canton City, CO, and in June 1942, she was sent to St. Mary's Hospital in Pierre, where she ministered for 25 years as Nursing Supervisor on Obstetrics, Pediatrics, and the Medical and Surgical wards.  She taught Obstetrics in St. Mary's RN program for 10 years.  From 1963-1967, Sister Pauline was assigned to Maryhouse as Director of Nursing.  She spent one year as school nurse at Stephan Indian Mission and worked with the Public Health System.  When Mother of God Monastery moved to Watertown, Sister Pauline became the first nurse assigned to care for our aging sisters in the Infirmary.  In 1986, Sister Pauline transferred to Richardton, ND where she served as night nurse in a small community hospital and nurse for the monks at Assumption Abbey.  Though she spent 46 years at the bedsides of patients, God did not spare her the experience of being a patient.  She had three major joint replacements, suffered a heart attack and during her final years lost her eyesight. 

Sister Pauline is survived by her sisters of Mother of God Monastery and by two brothers, Norbert of Hoven, Leo of San Raphael, California and one sister, Adella Hericks of Denver, CO.