Sister Annette Martinek 

Sister Annette was born and raised on a farm near Protivin, Iowa. She first attended a one-room school and then Holy Trinity School for grade school, and later attended Rudolphinum High School in Protivin. She was familiar with the School Sisters of St. Francis, as they had ministered at Holy Trinity Parish for over 100 years, but her knowledge of community came from her great aunt, Sister Milada, and her cousin, Sister Eloise.

At age five or six, Sister Annette was introduced to gardening when her father handed her a garden hoe and said, “We are going to the garden to hoe tomatoes.” Sister Annette has been interested in gardening work ever since! The family’s two farms were not dairy farms, though her father raised beef cattle for a few years. Both farms were crop farms. The 280 acres kept the nine children in the family busy. They were vital helpers when it came to threshing, bundling, shocking oats, and doing chores. To this day, because of these early experiences, Sister Annette enjoys being outside and busy.

Sister Annette’s early ministry was teaching in Illinois. She taught in Lombard, Richmond, and Stockton. In Stockton, Sister Annette was both a teacher and principal.

What many in the community do not know about Sister Annette is that she returned home in 1985 to care for her mother, who was diabetic and unable to self-administer medications due to her poor eyesight related to her condition. She did not require constant care, though, so during four of her five years back in Protivin, Sister Annette also taught at a school.

Because of her life experiences on the family farm, many people remember Sister Annette as the “outdoor sister” at Campbellsport. Anyone who visited St. Joseph Convent there would invariably encounter Sister Annette as she worked in the gardens and the orchards. Often, fortunate board members could take home rhubarb, tomatoes, or other seasonal offerings after their meetings.

In addition to her gardening skills, she was very mechanically inclined. For this reason, one of her roles at Campbellsport was repairing and cleaning wheelchairs. The gifts and talents she brought to her ministry were greatly appreciated by her community.

Sister Annette enjoyed all that she was asked to do, especially during her years in Campbellsport, which began shortly before Christmas in 1992. After first seeing Campbellsport as an 18-year-old Postulant, Sister Annette said that she wanted her ministry to be there. After her years of teaching, she said, “I finally got here!” Sister Annette’s ministry in Campbellsport lasted 23 years. You should not be surprised to know that she is already planning this year’s garden with eager anticipation!

We congratulate you, Sister Annette, on your 70th Jubilee. Thank you for your numerous years of service in education, care of your mom, and especially your service to the needs of our sisters at Campbellsport. Happy gardening, Sister, the soil is waiting for you!