Sister Mary Ignatius Loyola Gissenaas
Born to earthly life: February 8, 1923
Religious profession: July 22,1931
Entered eternal life: March 8, 2010
In her autobiography, Sister Ignatius Loyola Gissenaas writes, “At the dusk of day on the eighth of February in Coleman, a little burg in northern Wisconsin, I was born of good parents in my grandmother’s house on Main Street.”
Sister was the daughter of Hanford Montgomery Gissenaas, a convert to Catholicism, and Elizabeth Brault. A few days after her birth, she was baptized and given the name Olive. Her parents were blessed with four children, but only two survived, Olive and her brother Gordon, 16 months older than she.
When she was two years old, her family settled in East Kingsford, Michigan, where she became a great lover of sports, nature, and astronomy. Sister Ignatius learned faith, hope, love, and patience from her parents, but outside of the home she had little instruction about the faith except from the parish priest, who prepared Gordon and Olive for First Holy Communion.
When her father was laid off, her family decided to move to Milwaukee, where her father established a shoe repair shop. Olive and Gordon attended a public school, until Olive enrolled at St. Elizabeth’s for the eighth grade and Gordon went to Messmer. It was at St. Elizabeth’s that she met the SSNDs.
After a year at Messmer high school, she went to the juniorate at Longwood. A year later she entered the candidature and in July 1941, became a novice, receiving the name Sister Ignatius Loyola. This name was a great joy to her, since as a child she had read the story of St. Ignatius and said, “Like St. Ignatius I had my conversion in life.” She was professed July 23, 1942.
During her many years of teaching in Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, and Michigan, Sister Ignatius happily prepared second-graders for First Communion. While her health and vision were declining, she ministered as switchboard operator, driver, and manager of the host department at Notre
Dame of the Lake, as well as volunteer tutor at several schools. Eventually she volunteered as pastoral minister at the Badger Home for the Blind in Milwaukee.
In 1999 Sister “Iggy” retired to Notre Dame of Elm Grove, then spent a year at Havenwood, and returned to NDEG. There she endeared herself to those she met along the way when she offered them her blessing, a spontaneous prayer from her heart. She is remembered for her love of classical music, her ready wit, and her gratitude to all who came to visit, to read to her, and to pray with her after her eyesight failed.
– Mary Luke Baldwin, SSND
Sister Mary Ignatius Loyola ministered as an elementary school teacher for about 40 years. She also worked as manager of the Host/Eucharistic Bread department, switchboard operator and driver at the motherhouse. During semi-retirement, she helped as a tutor and volunteer. After fully retiring in 1999, she served through her prayers and presence.
Her ministry locations included:
- St. Mary Visitation School, Elm Grove, Wis.
- St. Ambrose School, Chicago, Ill.
- St. Peter School, Fort Wayne, Ind.
- Guardian Angel School, Chicago, Ill.
- St. Augustine School, Milwaukee, Wis.
- Christ King School, Wauwatosa, Wis.
- Notre Dame of the Lake, Mequon, Wis.
- Sacred Heart School, Calumet, Mich.
- St. Vincent School and Parish, Milwaukee, Wis.
- St. Helen School and Parish, Milwaukee, Wis.
- Christ King Parish, Wauwatosa, Wis.
- Havenwood Nursing Home, Milwaukee, Wis.
- Notre Dame of Elm Grove, Elm Grove, Wis.
School Sister of Notre Dame, Mary Ignatius Loyola Gissenaas died in Elm Grove on April 14, 2010 at the age of 87. Sister Mary Ignatius is survived by her brother, Gordon Gissenas, nieces, nephews, other relatives, friends and the SSND Community. A Wake Service and Mass of Christian Burial were celebrated April 16 at Holy Family Chapel, Notre Dame of Elm Grove, 13105 Watertown Plank Road. In lieu of flowers, a donation to the School Sisters of Notre Dame Retirement Fund would be appreciated.
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