Sister Mary Carol Juckem, SDS

Sister Mary Carol (birth name: Lorraine) Juckem was born to Joseph and Catherine (Diedrich) on March 30, 1925 in Chilton, WI, Diocese of Green Bay. She was the third child in a family of twelve – six boys and six girls.

Sister Mary Carol attended St. Mary's School in Chilton where she was taught by the School Sisters of St. Francis. At this early age she thought about becoming a sister. She stated in her autobiography: "I thought they were just wonderful and, as long as I can remember, I wanted to be one of them." An added dimension to this consideration of becoming a religious was that she had two aunts who were Salvatorians, Sisters Flavian Diedrich and Odila Diedrich. After 8th grade, Sister Mary Carol attended Chilton High School and focused her course work on secretarial/office skills. After graduation, she worked at Divine Savior Hospital in Portage, WI. Her aunt, Sister Flavian, was missioned there during this time. After five years she left Portage to attend the Milwaukee Business Institute where she concentrated her efforts in bookkeeping. While in school, she also worked at Kohl Brothers. After graduation, she worked at Ampco Metals as secretary to the manager of the Weldrod Department.

On January 31, 1954, Lorraine entered the Congregation of the Sisters of the Divine Savior. She became a novice on August 12, 1955 and received the religious name Mary Carol. She made her profession of first vows on August 13, 1956 and final vows on August 13, 1962. During her formation years and after first profession, she assisted Sister Fotina Steffen in the finance office of the Motherhouse.

In 1957, she was assigned to Divine Savior High School as bookkeeper for 11 years. From 1968 – 1971 she was the assistant treasurer at St. Mary's Convent /Motherhouse. For the next 9 years she was the bookkeeper at St. Mary's Nursing Home. From 1982 until 1996, she served as an assistant in the accounting office of the Province. Later, she served as the treasurer for Salvatorian Heights, home for our sick and elderly sisters. When the sisters moved to the newly remodeled Salvatorian Sisters Residence in 2001, Sister Mary Carol also moved there and continued to do the bookkeeping. She was conscientious and precise, a much needed quality for one who took responsibility for the stewardship of the financial resources of the Province.

For a period of time, Sister Mary Carol tutored at the Laubach Literacy Center in Milwaukee. She stayed current by attending and updating herself in new methods of tutoring offered at Laubach.

Due to health issues, Sister Mary Carol relinquished her bookkeeping responsibilities at the Salvatorian Sisters Residence. Her health steadily declined, but her hearty spirit prevailed. She celebrated Christmas in 2014, proudly carrying the infant Jesus to the crib during a community prayer service on Christmas Eve.

Early in the New Year, Sister Mary Carol succumbed to a cold and pneumonia. This, which added to an already existing heart condition, became life threatening for her. She was admitted to St. Joseph Hospital, Milwaukee. From there she was transferred to St. Anne's Salvatorian Campus where she was placed on Season's Hospice. Sister Mary Carol died peacefully on January 14, 2015 with Sister Mary Jo Witucki at her side.

She was 89 years old and professed for 58 years. May she now behold the face of God for all eternity.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Joseph & Catherine (Diedrich) Juckem, her brothers, George, Herman, Charles, Anthony, and John (Erna) Juckem and brother-in-law Anthony Leonard.

She is survived by her sisters, Othilia (Arthur) Kozinski, Mary Agnes Leonhard, Virginia (Ray) Ries, Elizabeth (George) Jost, Rita (Stanley) Timmer, and brother Leonard (Carol) Juckem. She is also survived by her sisters-in-law, Ellen Juckem Sturtz, Julie Juckem, Elizabeth Juckem, Karen Juckem, many nieces and nephews and her sisters and brothers in the Salvatorian Family.

Visitation and Mass of Christian Burial

Tuesday, January 20, 2015

St. Anne's Salvatorian Campus Chapel, 3800 North 92nd Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Visitation: 12:30 PM until the Mass of Christian Burial at 1:30 PM

Presider: Fr. Scott Jones, SDS

Burial: Holy Cross Cemetery, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Wednesday, January 21 at 9:00 AM