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

OBITUARY

Sister Sheila Sweeney

Sister Sheila Sweeney, 77, was born December 30, 1927, at Presho, South Dakota to Matilda (Jacoby) and Patrick Sweeney.  She was the 5th child in a family of eight - all girls, except one.  She was baptized Agnes Mary on January 8, 1928.  She delighted in astonishing people by telling them she was baptized the year after her birth (8 days later.  Agnes grew up in a rural community 12 miles south of Presho.  Those early years gave her an underlying love and appreciation for the simple, ordinary things in life.  She commented, "Our farm with its wide-open spaces, our one-room country school, and our own country church known as 'the Sweeney Church' (as it was built by my grandfather and his family, including my Dad) was her little world for her childhood years."

After completion of the 8th grade, Agnes attended Mount Marty College in Yankton, South Dakota.  Looking back at those years, she could see God's hand at work, directing her to what was to be her life's commitment to the Lord in the Benedictine family.  After graduating from high school, she entered Sacred Heart Convent in Yankton on August 20, 1945.  She was given the name Sheila, to which her father remarked approvingly, "Every Irish family has a Sheila."  Sister Sheila made her monastic profession on June 24, 1947.  In 1961, she became one of the founding members of Mother of God Monastery in Pierre, now in Watertown, South Dakota.

Her first ten years following profession were spent teaching in elementary schools in Stephan, Polo, and Aberdeen, South Dakota.  A hearing problem, which was later corrected by surgery, shortened her teaching years.  In 1957-1958, she obtained certification in medical record science at St. Catherine's Hospital and the College of St. Mary in Omaha.  After managing the Medical Records Department in Yankton for one year, she was transferred to the Medical Record Department at St. Mary's Hospital in Pierre, as manager, a position she held for over 31 years.  In her own words, "Life has not become less complicated.  It seems as though a patient's medical record is on the MOST WANTED list at all times.  Quite often I find myself relying on the wisdom and the consolation of an old Irish saying - - -The situation is hopeless, but NOT SERIOUS!!!"

In 1991, when the time seemed right to lay aside management responsibilities, Sister Sheila was missioned to Madonna Rehabilitation Center in Lincoln, Nebraska, as a medical transcriptionist in the Word Processing Department of that facility.  When communicating became more difficult for her because of Parkinson's disease, which affected her voice, Sister Sheila decided it was time to return home to the monastery.

During this past year, Sister Sheila became totally immersed in daily rhythm of monastic life at the monastery.  She especially loved the Liturgies and the quiet times. She cherished receiving a driver's license from the community, for golf-carting the sisters around the property.  Sister Sheila could find humor in any situation and delighted us all with her Irish wit and the sound of her laughter.  Her death will leave a deep void in our lives.

Sister Sheila is survived by her Sisters at Mother of God Monastery and by three sisters: Gertrude Kotz of Belgrade, MN, Cecelia Walker of Gregory, SD and Rita Cleveland of Kennewick, WA.