Sister Marie Gabriel Stoll
Born to earthly life: March 23, 1931
Religious profession: July 21, 1950
Entered eternal life: June 7, 2011
School Sister of Notre Dame, Marie Gabriel Stoll died at Our Lady of the Angels Convent, Greenfield, Wis. on June 7, 2011 at the age of 80.
Sister Marie Gabriel Stoll was born to eternal life on June 7, 2011, while sitting at the community dining table at Our Lady of the Angels Convent in Milwaukee. She was 80 years of age. She is survived by her sister, Sister Melmarie Stoll, SSND, her sister-in-law, Anne Stoll, nieces, nephews, other relatives, friends and the SSND Community. Sister Marie Gabriel known as “Marne”—the name she gave herself when she was too small to pronounce Margaret—was a friend to the many whom she met on her path of 61 years as a School Sister of Notre Dame.
Margaret Mary was born in Milwaukee on March 23, 1931. Her parents, Elsa and Peter, along with her three brothers, George, Edward, and Thomas, and her two sisters, Rosemary and Betty, were there to welcome her. Her brother Jerry was born two years later; now there were seven children in the Stoll family.
Most of Marne’s playtime was spent with the family and friends entertaining themselves. Many nights were spent around the piano where her mother played any selection by ear or with the musical score. She was joined by the family violinists, George and Rosemary, while the rest of the family sang along. Her father was the sole member in the audience.
The Stoll family was rich in religious vocations. When Marne was in grade school, George left for the seminary and Rosemary, who became Sister Ara Coeli, entered the SSND aspiranture. Along with these siblings who left a lasting impression on her, Sister Aventine Nagy, Marne’s sixth grade teacher, influenced her response to the call to religious life.
Marne entered the juniorate in Milwaukee in 1945, finishing high school at Longwood in Chicago. In 1947, she entered the community as a candidate and in the same year her sister Betty became Sister Melmarie. As a postulant, Marne taught third grade at St. John’s in Marshfield, WI.
Marne received the name Marie Gabriel at her reception. Her classmates joked about how she truly lived up to her new name. Preoccupied with her duty to ring the bell throughout the day, she carried the bell with her at all times. “Gabriel, blow your horn” was their chant.
After her profession in 1950, Sister Marie Gabriel began her 42-year career as a teacher of primary grade children at Holy Name School in Sheboygan, WI (1950-1961). She earned her Wisconsin Teacher’s License and received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology and History from Mount Mary College in Milwaukee. Her ministry experience includes service in the following Wisconsin parish schools: St. Michael, Milwaukee (1961-1964); St. Casimir, Kenosha (1964-1968); St. Peter, Port Washington (1968- 1969); St. Anne, Milwaukee (1969-1971); Our Lady of Lourdes, Marinette (1971-1972); Sacred Hearts, Sun Prairie (1972-1982); St. Gabriel, Prairie du Chien (1982-1992) and St. Mary, Elm Grove (1992).
One of her greatest joys was preparing the second grade class for the Sacraments of Eucharist and Reconciliation. She always thought that her SSND blood sisters were doing great things: Sister Melmarie worked with the blind and Sister Ara Coeli did missionary work in Africa. Marne, nonetheless, was a born teacher.
Sister Marie Gabriel spent a year of service in a non-medical home care agency and then a year as the school secretary at St. Lawrence, Milwaukee. Her last ten years in the field of education (1995-2005) were spent at the South Day Care Center of St. Joseph in Milwaukee as a kindergarten teacher and aide. Sister was privileged to live in community with her sister, Sister Melmarie, for the past 14 years. They travelled together to Africa to visit Sister Ara Coeli; to Wyoming to visit Father George; to Florida, and to Rome. The Wisconsin State Fair was another highlight that they enjoyed each year. Sister Marne’s active life inspired many people. She loved nature and did flower gardening. She loved to walk and ride a bike. During the summers, she volunteered to help out at Mount Calvary and later in life at Elm Grove.
Marne came to Elm Grove in May of 2010. She found life exciting, challenging and adventuresome. She was joy-filled, hope-filled and fi lled with love. Our lives are enriched because we have been with her on her journey and she has shown us by example how to love. She often showed her gratitude to everyone saying, “I love you.”
In March, Sister was missioned to Our Lady of the Angels. She enjoyed the new opportunities there, especially art work, and she continued to dance and have fun. Marne loved enjoying the usual routines in life until the hour of her death. We all miss hearing her say, “I love you.”
We are filled with gratitude as we reflect on the numerous ways that Marne shared her gifts, talents and graces, being a blessing and touching the lives of others. Remarkably it was on the first death anniversary of her very dear friend Sister Pierre Lemanczyk that Sister Marie Gabriel joined her in heaven. Some people would call it a coincidence, but we call it a grace from God.
– Sister Marie Rose VanDuerzen
Sister. Marie Gabriel Stoll, SSND died on June 7, 2011, age 80. Survived by her sister, Sister Melmarie Stoll SSND, sister-in-law Anne Stoll, nieces, nephews, other relatives, friends and the SSND Community. A wake service was celebrated June 9 at Our Lady of the Angels Convent in Greenfield, Wis. A wake service was also celebrated June 10, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at The Holy Family Chapel at Notre Dame of Elm Grove. In lieu of flowers, a donation to the School Sisters of Notre Dame Retirement Fund is appreciated.
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