Sister Madelyn Gordon

1923 - 2024

FREMONT - Sister Madelyn Marie Gordon transitioned peacefully to her heavenly home in the early hours of Monday Sept. 16 at St. Bernardine Home in Fremont, OH.

As many are counting down the days until the election, Sister was counting the days left before her 101st birthday on Oct. 22. She and her twin brother (Don of Piqua, OH) celebrated their 100th together last year in Fremont with many family members. (This year, she just missed their 101st by 35 days.)

Sister Madelyn was born in Deshler, Ohio, Oct. 22, 1923, and raised on the family farm, the middle of 8 children. Her twin Donald is her only living sibling. All 8 children, however, lived into their nineties and now beyond. Her connection to them and all the family lives on, especially through the annual Gordon family reunion where the families are identified by color-coded T-shirts. When Sister arrived, she would find a seat and all - young and older - would flock to her. One niece commented that it is like she is holding court.

She entered the Sisters of Mercy Community in 1947 and received the name Sister Mary Cephas, which she later changed back to her baptismal name, Sister Madelyn Marie.

Throughout her many years of active ministry, she was involved in numerous aspects of health care. She served as department supervisor for pediatrics, maternity, and gynecology as well as Director of Nursing at several hospitals sponsored by the Sisters of Mercy. In her last 30+ years before her retirement in 2005, she took a major shift from direct nursing care to pastoral care as well as director of that department. These works of mercy took her to Owensboro, Kentucky, and Coldwater, Ohio. After those assignments it was back to northwest Ohio as she was missioned to Mercy Hospitals in Toledo, Tiffin, and St. Charles in Oregon, Ohio.

A ministry dear to her heart was the pastoral care and assistant manager positions at Charles Crest 1 and 2, retirement communities for low-income seniors. She spent many hours visiting the residents, taking Communion to them, and companioning them. Her visits were the highlight of the residents' days, and the feeling was very mutual.

She retired in 2005 to St. Bernardine's. Within the next several years, her hearing loss caught up with her, greatly hampering her ability to participate in convent meetings and individual conversations which had been so important to her with her former patients. Despite this loss, she continued to be present as best she could with others at mealtimes and activities as her special smile and bright eyes were always evident. A gentle compassionate woman, a real delight, she will truly be missed.

A welcoming service and the funeral Mass were celebrated Friday, September 20, 2024, at 11am. at St. Bernardine Home. Burial was at Our Lady of the Pines Cemetery with a luncheon to follow. An archived livestream of her services is available on her obituary page at www.hermanfh.com Funeral arrangements are under the care of Herman Kralovetz Funeral Home, Fremont. Online condolences may be expressed at www.hermanfh.com