Sister Carlene Unser, 1920-2017

[offcntr]

I grew up around nuns. Heck, my aunt was a nun. My parish church didn't have a parochial school, but they'd bring a group of Franciscans every year to teach summer school. (Vacation Bible School, in my wife's Lutheran tradition.) Nuns wore black and white habits, veils, sometimes a full wimple. Their first name was always "Mary," last name was a saint's. You didn't talk to them about normal things. They weren't humorless, exactly, but their humor had a restrained, reverent air.

Then I went away to college at Viterbo.

I didn't meet Sister Carlene on my first visit to campus. She was in Guatemala, studying native hand-weaving. When I did meet her, I was surprised by this lively, friendly woman, in every-day clothes (including jeans and a denim vest), who everyone just called "Carlene."

I didn't have her for many classes--she taught fibers and art education, neither of which was my field, though I did enjoy her in art appreciation. She was always enthusiastic and encouraging of my work, though, and I think it was probably her idea to offer me a chance to teach art history after I graduated and Tim Crane went on sabbatical.

She was a devoted teacher, and a dedicated artist, producing beautiful weavings, functional and artistic. Later in life she took up icon writing (not painting. Icons are an instructional medium, and as such are written.) After I moved to Oregon for grad school, I always enjoyed catching up with her on my visits back to La Crosse. After Denise and I were married, we were both welcome in her little apartment on Mississippi Street. She was proud that I'd become a full-time artist, and always enjoyed seeing pictures of my latest work.

We haven't been to La Crosse for quite a while now; family commitments took us to Milwaukee, Minneapolis, up to Willard. So I missed her last few years at Villa St. Joseph, and I missed her funeral at St. Rose Chapel.

I miss her now. I suspect, wherever she is now, she's learning some new technique, and eagerly teaching it to anyone who's listening.

Comments

[chefxh.livejournal.com]

So many brilliant women took the veil. I was taught by Benedictines from Mount Saint Scholastica in Atchison KS. My second cousin and great-aunt were both Sinsinawa Dominicans.

[offcntr.livejournal.com]

We had Lemont Franciscans for summer school, Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration at Viterbo University, wonderful women, all. Though my current parish is staffed by Dominicans, in my heart I'm still a Franciscan boy...

[chefxh.livejournal.com]

and though I am no longer among the faithful:

Eternal rest grant unto her, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon her. May her soul, and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of G-d, rest in peace.

[offcntr.livejournal.com]

Amen.