DAVENPORT — The Congregation of the Humility of Mary (CHM) will celebrate the jubilees of three Sisters at a special Mass of celebration at 2 p.m., June 28 at St. John Vianney Church in Bettendorf. Father John Hynes will be the celebrant.
50 years
• A native of Williamsburg, Sister Rae Elwood entered the Congregation of the Humility of Mary in 1959 and professed her first vows in 1962.
She received an associate’s degree from Ottumwa Heights College and a bachelor’s degree in food and nutrition from Marycrest College in Davenport. Sr. Elwood received her master’s degree in counseling from Southern Illinois University.
Her early ministries included that of dietitian at St. Joseph Hospital in Ottumwa and dean of students at Ottumwa Heights College.
At Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Ill., she was the administrative assistant to the dean and later a campus minister and counselor. From 1976-80 Sr. Elwood served as the vice president of the Congregation of the Humility of Mary. After that she served in Davenport as dean of admissions at Marycrest College, academic advisor at Marycrest International University, supportive living coordinator at the Humility of Mary Center and a counselor in her private practice — Elwood Support Services.
She currently lives in Davenport and is a volunteer coordinator at CASI.
• Sister Jude Fitzpatrick is a native of Denison and entered the Congregation of the Humility of Mary in 1959 and professed her first vows in 1962.
Sr. Fitzpatrick attended Ottumwa Heights College in Ottumwa and received an associate’s degree in education. She received a bachelor’s degree in education from Marycrest College and a master’s in education from Arizona State in Tempe, Ariz. Sr. Fitzpatrick furthered her studies in education at Drake University in Des Moines and Iowa State University in Ames.
Her ministry in education included teaching at Lourdes Memorial School in Bettendorf, St. Joseph in Neola and St. Vincent in Davenport. She also was principal at Lourdes Memorial School and St. Theresa in Des Moines.
Sr. Fitzpatrick worked for the Des Moines Diocese as assistant superintendent and coordinator of education funding and also superintendent of schools.
From 1996-2004 she was president of the Congregation of the Humility of Mary. Today Sr. Fitzpatrick serves as director of administration and building management in the Diocese of Des Moines.
• Sister Kayleen Heffron is a native of Georgetown and entered the Congregation of the Humility of Mary in 1959. Her first vows were pronounced in 1962.
She studied nursing and received an R.N. from St. Joseph School of Nursing in Ottumwa, an associate’s degree from Ottumwa Heights College, a bachelor’s degree from St. Ambrose College in Davenport and furthered her education with courses at Marycrest College in Davenport and the University of Iowa in Iowa City.
She based her nursing ministry in Ottumwa at St. Joseph’s Hospital which later became Ottumwa Regional Health Center. Her RN skills were used as an emergency room supervisor and also in the skilled nursing facility.
Sr. Heffron continued at Ottumwa Regional Health Center as an RN in the physical rehabilitation unit until her retirement.
