In Memoriam: Sister Mary Leon Kiesel

Sister Mary Leon Kiesel, 84, of Monastery Immaculate Conception in Ferdinand, Indiana, died at 1:40 p.m. on Sunday, December 16, 2018, at the monastery.

Sister Mary Leon was born on October 18, 1934, in Fort Branch, Indiana, the third of eight children of Leo and Lorene (Martin) Kiesel. She entered the Sisters of St. Benedict of Ferdinand in 1953 and made her profession of monastic vows in 1955.  

She is survived by three brothers, Father Leo Kiesel, Loogootee, Robert of Haubstadt, and Donald Joseph of Evansville; and two sisters, Elvira Meyer of Haubstadt and Sister Mary Jane Kiesel of Ferdinand; brother and sisters-in-law, nieces and nephews; and members of her religious community. She was preceded in death by her parents; her sister, Elgene Bell and brother Ivan.

Sister Mary Leon attended St. Benedict College in Ferdinand studying education. She worked the majority of her ministry as a teacher for St. Theresa in Evansville, St. Bernard in Rockport, St. Mary in Huntingburg, Celestine Elementary and Holy Family school in Jasper from 1956 to 1997. She worked in parish ministry at Holy Family until 2005 and as an Activities Assistant at the monastery through 2012. Most recently, Sister Mary Leon served in the Ministry of Prayer at the Hildegard Health Center.

Visitation will be at the monastery on Tuesday, December 18, from 2 to 6:45 p.m. EDT and on Wednesday, December 19, from 2 to 3:45 p.m. A wake service will be held on Tuesday at 7 p.m. The funeral Mass will be on Wednesday at 4:00 p.m. in the monastery church followed by burial in the monastery cemetery.  

Becher Funeral Home in Ferdinand is in charge of the arrangements.