Helen Margaret Hermreck: musician, teacher, novice mistress, devoted family member, gardener, RCIA director, storyteller, nature-lover, champion of special education, prayer leader, flower arranger extraordinaire.
Helen was born Nov. 24, 1923, in Scipio, Kansas, and joined the Ursulines of Paola when she was 15 years old. Shortly after entering the convent her family came to tell her that her father had gotten a good job in California, and asked if she wanted to go with them? This was shocking news for her and even more shocking to her parents when she replied, “No, I belong here at Ursuline now. You all go, I will be okay.” She was received into the novitiate as Sister Mary Alberta and never looked back.
Sister began her ministry at Ursuline Academy where she taught music for nine years. She continued this music ministry at Bartlesville, Okla., at St. Johns for eight years. She returned to the Motherhouse in 1957 and served as mistress of Novices until 1963. Her next mission was Holy Name in Kansas City for just one year before she went away for study. God was calling her to be part of the plan that He had in mind: a school where special needs children would have a chance to blossom, reach beyond their disabilities and follow their dreams. Sister Helen earned degrees in special education and became the first director of Lakemary Center in Paola. Lakemary Center of Special Education opened in June l969 under the direction of the Ursuline Sisters.
In December 1969, God called Sister Helen to another special need, this one more personal and demanding. Her parents needed her to come to California to care for them. Out in California, Sister continued to work in the field of special education, touching the lives of countless young people and their grateful families. In 1980, she retired from teaching to become pastoral minister at St. Patrick Parish in Placerville, Calif., where she shared her gift of faith in a beautiful way for the next 25 years. In her gracious way, Sister Helen touched many hearts and souls with God’s love and did it with a quiet, gentle joy that made those around her feel peaceful and secure.
As her health began to fail, Sister Helen retired in 2005 andcame to the Motherhouse in Paola, maintaining her relationships with family members and parishioners in California while quietly reintegrating into life in Kansas. In January 2009, needing more intensive nursing care, she bravely and joyfully boarded a small privately owned plane – ever the pioneer – becoming the first Paola Ursuline to arrive at Mount Saint Joseph Motherhouse after the merger. The welcoming scene at the front entrance of Saint Joseph Villa was extra special – washed in tears and loud with laughter because we could hear God saying, “see, I make all things new!” At that moment, the birthing pain of merger became the soothing touch of God’s ever-abiding love.
During Sister Helen’s short time at Mount Saint Joseph, she received loving and attentive care from the nursing staff in the Villa, and from all of the Ursuline Sisters loving companionship as daughters of Saint Angela Merici gathered at the feet of Jesus.
Sister died Sunday, March 27th, 2011. The Mass of Resurrection was held on Wednesday morning, March 30th. Sister Helen’s remains are buried in Mount Saint Joseph Cemetery.