Sister Michaela O’Brien

Sister Michaela O’Brien, CSA,
baptized Mary Ellen O’Brien, died October 17, 2018, at St. Francis Home, Fond
du Lac, WI.

Mary Ellen was
born in Eden, WI, on January 15, 1920, to James H. O’Brien
and Estelle Stack O’Brien. The family of seven included three boys and four
girls.

Mary Ellen
graduated from St. Mary’s Springs
Academy
in 1936. She
received a BS in Physical Education and Social Studies from UW-La Crosse in
1941.

In 1943 Mary Ellen
entered St. Agnes Convent. She made profession of vows as Sister Michaela in
the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes on August 15, 1946.

She attended Marian College
during her years of religious formation, studying theology, English, math and
education. In her early years of teaching, she enrolled in summer courses such
as drama, physics and chemistry at Marquette
University, Milwaukee, WI.
In 1958 Sister earned an MS in Education from Marquette with a major in guidance. She
furthered her professional education at various colleges through courses in
secondary school administration, physics and Scripture.

Sister Michaela
taught at St. Mary
Springs, Fond
du Lac
, in a total of five different academic
disciplines, for 21 years beginning in 1946. She was an assistant administrator
and teacher at Beloit
Catholic High
School
from 1967-1971. She was also appointed to
several roles of service within the congregation: director of the aspirancy for
ten years; vocation director for 15 years; apostolic councilor for secondary
education for eight years. She completed her long life in ministry where she
began it, returning to St. Mary Springs
in 1979. For more than 30 years, she continued to support her alma mater,
assuming various staff and volunteer positions, including assistant
administrator, guidance counselor, alumni director and assistant in the
archives.

Sister Michaela
exemplified in her personal life qualities she encouraged in her students ~
faith, commitment, discipline, excellence, loyalty, concern for others and
perseverance.

Sister Michaela
was preceded in death by her parents James H. O’Brien and Estelle Stack
O’Brien; her brothers Thomas O’Brien and James O’Brien; and her sisters
Florence Flood, Helen Gellings, and Alice Michels.

She is survived by
her brother Patrick O’Brien, many devoted nieces and nephews, other relatives,
friends, colleagues, and the Sisters of St. Agnes, with whom she lived, prayed
and ministered.

Visitation for
Sister Michaela O’Brien will be held at Holy
Family Church,
271 Fourth Street
Way, Fond du Lac, WI, on October 25, from 2:00 – 4:00 p.m.

A Mass of
Christian Burial will be held at Holy Family Church,
271 Fourth Street
Way, Fond du Lac, WI, on Thursday, October 25, 2018, at 4:00
p.m. The presider will be Father Ken Smits, Capuchin. Burial will be in St. Joseph Springs Cemetery
at a later date.

Memorials can be
directed to the Sisters of St. Agnes Development Office, 320 County Road K, Fond du Lac, WI 54937.

The Sisters of St.
Agnes are grateful to the nurses and staff of Nazareth Court and Center/St. Francis
Home and the staff of Hospice Hope for their care of Sister Michaela in her
last years.

Zacherl Funeral
Home is serving the Sisters of the Congregation of St. Agnes.