Celebrating Sister Eleanor Ewertz

Sister Eleanor Ewertz
February 24, 1939 – September 20, 2023

The eldest of three daughters was born to Eleanor (Rahn) and John Ewertz in St. Louis, Missouri, USA on February 24, 1939. She was baptized at St. Francis de Sales Church on March 19, 1939 and named Eleanor Matilda. Her two sisters, Virginia and Rosemary, completed the Ewertz family. When Eleanor was four years old, the family moved to Our Lady of Sorrows Parish in St. Louis.

Eleanor attended Our Lady of Sorrows Grade School and Notre Dame High School where she was taught by the School Sisters of Notre Dame. She had a special interest in speech and took part in many parish and high school plays. During the silent retreat in her senior year, she realized God was calling her to religious life.

She entered the candidature at Sancta Maria in Ripa in St. Louis on August 29, 1957. She was received into the novitiate on July 29, 1958, and given the name, M. Therese Lisieux. She was thrilled to receive this name as she had a great devotion to the Little Flower and also a great love for the foreign missions. She professed first vows on July 30, 1959, and final vows on July 30, 1965. Later, she returned to her baptismal name.

Sister Eleanor taught elementary students at St. Peter, Jefferson City, St. George, Linn  and Immaculate Conception, Loose Creek, all communities located in Missouri, USA. She was also principal at Loose Creek. During these 15 years of ministry in the Jefferson City diocese, she was choir director and organist for the parishes. In 1976, she became principal at St. Andrew, St. Louis. Three years later, she was asked to be Superintendent of Schools for the rural Diocese of Jefferson City. She held this position for seven years.

During a 30-day retreat in 1985, Sister Eleanor felt called to minister in the foreign missions and volunteered for Africa. She arrived in Sierra Leone, West Africa in September 1986. For the next 25 years, West Africa would become her second home. She taught at the Women’s Teachers College in Port Loko for three years, spent one year at the Yengema Secondary School, opened a new mission at Our Lady of the Rosary Parish in Mange Bureh and was one of the first Pastoral Administrators in Sierra Leone. In Mange Bureh, she was in charge of eight primary schools.

In January 1995, the Rebel War necessitated that the SSND living in Sierra Leone evacuate the country. They spent time at the Generalate in Rome and in the United States. In 1996, the sisters were invited to return to Port Loko and she again taught at the Women’s Teachers College. However, 9 months later, the sisters had to evacuate again. Sister Eleanor was assigned to teach English at the Sunyani Secondary School in Ghana. She was also the SSND vocation director, and a retreat and spiritual director. For four years, she served as the SSND postulant director.

Sister Eleanor was part of many district and provincial assemblies as delegate while in Africa. In 2005, she returned to the United States for three years. During this time, she worked as a patient ambassador at St. Louis University Hospital and also taught English as a second language in the Immigrant and Refugee Women’s Program.

In 2008, she responded to a call to return to Sierra Leone and teach at Fatima Institute, the newly established Catholic University of Makeni. She also served as chaplain at the University, was a spiritual director and directed retreats at the Leicester Retreat Center in Freetown. In July 2014, SSND had to evacuate Sierra Leone a third time – this time due to the ebola outbreak in the country. She spent several months teaching English in the novitiate in Sunyani, Ghana. With the expiration of her visa, she chose to return to the United States and returned to St. Louis in January 2015.

After a year of community service at Theresa Center, she was invited to minister part-time as a retreat and spiritual director in the Jefferson City Diocese. She also continued to do volunteer service at Theresa Center and The Sarah Community. As her health began to fail, she was missioned to Veronica House, The Sarah Community, in January 2020 and to Anna House in January 2023. She was placed on hospice in early September 2023. She died peacefully around 11:30 a.m. on September 20, 2023.

Sister Eleanor was an excellent educator, organizer and creative in preparing and leading prayers. She had a great love for the people of Africa. As a retreat/spiritual director, she companioned individuals in their journey to God. May she now rejoice in her new and eternal life as she is welcomed by her loving God. Sleep in peace. Enjoy heaven and pray for us.

Please visit "Remembering Sister Eleanor Ewertz" webpage on the School Sisters of Notre Dame Central Pacific Province website. An obituary and funeral Mass video are available.