Sister Mary Jane Kiesel

Sister Mary Jane Kiesel (formerly Sister Mary Ivan Kiesel) of Monastery Immaculate Conception in Ferdinand, Indiana, died at 1:56 a.m. on December 4, 2022, at the monastery.  She was 81 years old.

Sister Mary Jane Kiesel was born on October 7, 1941, in Haubstadt, Indiana, the seventh of eight children of Leo and Lorine (Martin) Kiesel. She entered the Sisters of St. Benedict of Ferdinand in 1959 from Saints Peter and Paul Parish and made her profession of monastic vows in 1961.

She is survived by her brother, Father Leo Kiesel; her brother Robert George and sister-in-law Helen (Kissel) Kiesel; her brother Donald Joseph and sister-in-law Lynn Anne (Garvin) Kiesel; and her religious community.  She was preceded in death by her parents; her sister Sister Mary Leon Kiesel; her brother Ivan and sister-in-law Mary Lou (Martin) Kiesel; her sister Elgene (Kiesel) Bell; and her sister Elvera (Kiesel) Meyer and brother-in-law Harold Meyer.

Sister Mary Jane earned her Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from St. Benedict College, and took additional courses in Education at Indiana University. She taught elementary students at St. Philip School in St. Philip, IN; St. Frances Xavier School in Poseyville, IN; Sacred Heart School in Vincennes, IN; and Holy Spirit School, Holy Rosary School, Holy Redeemer School, and Christ the King School, all in Evansville, IN. Sister Mary Jane served in pastoral ministry as a Religious Education teacher for St. Mary Parish in Huntingburg, IN; and as a Pastoral Associate in St. Isidore Parish in Bristow, IN. She later served in Pastoral Care with Deaconess Hospital in Evansville, IN through their CPE Residency Program; as an Aide for the Vanderburgh County VNA in Evansville, IN; as a minister to the sick and the Coordinator of the Stephen Ministry Program in St. Joseph Parish in Jasper, IN; and in Supportive Services and, most recently, Prayer Ministry with the Sisters of St. Benedict in Hildegard Health Center.  

Public visitation will be held in the Marian Parlor at Monastery Immaculate Conception in Ferdinand, Indiana, on Tuesday, December 6 from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. and from 5:30 to 6:45 p.m., and in the monastery church on Wednesday, December 7 from 2:00 to 4:15 p.m.  A Vigil Service will be held in the monastery church on Tuesday, December 6 at 7:00 p.m.  The Funeral Mass will be at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, December 7 in the monastery church, followed by burial in the monastery cemetery.  Vigil and funeral will be live-streamed at funeral.thedome.org.  Becher Funeral Home in Ferdinand is in charge of the arrangements.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Sisters of St. Benedict of Ferdinand.