Sister Rose Mary Eich, CHM, (Sister Marietta), 93, died Saturday, May 12, 2012 at Bishop Drumm Retirement Center, Johnston, IA. Services at Bishop Drumm, Our Lady of Peace Chapel are Wednesday, May 16: Rosary at 4 and Vigil at 7 p.m. At Humility of Mary Center Magnificat Chapel, Davenport, IA: Thursday, May 17, Rosary at 4 and Vigil at 7 p.m. Mass of Christian Burial will be Friday, May 18, 11a.m. at Magnificat Chapel. Burial follows in Mt. Calvary Cemetery, Davenport.
Rose Mary Eich was born to Andrew and Mary (Maitz) Eich on August 26, 1918 in Blooming Prairie, MN. On January 10, 1938 she entered the Congregation of the Humility of Mary (CHM), professing vows on July 17, 1940. She received a BA in Elementary Education from Marycrest College, Davenport, IA and an MA in Library Science from the University of Minnesota. She continued her education at the Universities of Iowa and of Notre Dame.
Sister Rose Mary taught in elementary and secondary schools in the Diocese of Davenport including schools in Bettendorf, Davenport, Fort Madison, Melrose and Parnell; in the Diocese of Des Moines in Council Bluffs, Des Moines and Dunlap; in the Diocese of Great Falls-Billings in Great Falls, Montana. She also taught in Marshalltown in the Archdiocese of Dubuque, Iowa, and in Santa Paula in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, California. She worked in school and public libraries in Des Moines and was a librarian at the former Marycrest College in Davenport. She was Resource Center Coordinator for the Diocese of Biloxi, Mississippi.
Sister Rose Mary spent two years in the Peace Corps developing libraries in Bogota, Cali and Neiva, all in Columbia, South America. She enjoyed travel, meeting new people and having new experiences. Sister Rose Mary produced beautiful scrapbooks documenting her travels. She also kept in touch with relatives in Germany.
Sister was preceded in death by her parents and brothers George, Carl, John, Otto and Leo. She is survived by a sister, Barbara Edsall, Loveland, Colorado, a sister-in-law, Delores Eich, in Marshalltown, Iowa, many nieces and nephews, as well as CHM Sisters and Associates. Memorials may be made to the Congregation of the Humility of Mary, www.chmiowa.org.
