Sister Arlene was born on October 8, 1932, to Frederick and Cecilia Einwalter on a small farm in rural Fort Atkinson, Iowa. She was the third child in a family of four children: one brother, Gene, and two sisters, June, and Ethel. Arlene loved the outdoors and spent as much time as possible with her dad getting involved in farm work and chores. She learned her love for the fields and birds from her mom and her love for the animals from her dad, raising chickens, ducks, geese, guineas and befriending the big farm horses as pets.
Arlene knew from an early age that she was to be a School Sister of St. Francis. Thus, she left at age 13 with Sister Meinharda, her eighth-grade teacher, for St. Joseph Convent, disappointing and grieving her parents. However, she “knew” her calling and found excitement in experiencing her first train ride leaving the state of Iowa for the first time. Sister Arlene never forgot that as she entered the side door at this huge building, her whole body told her that she was “home.”
Arlene spoke of her life as 20-20-20. After 20 years in Catholic schools, she received a master’s degree in religious education from Seattle University and later a master’s in sacred theology from Regis College in Toronto, Canada. Those degrees took her to parishes and two dioceses as a religious educator. During those 20 years, her love was to help parishioners, directors of religious education, and catechists incorporate Vatican II into their lives.
Sister Arlene’s final call to ministry was to hospice, grief counseling, and death education in New Mexico. After two years of quite different and exciting education in this field, 20 years were spent working in Berardinelli Funeral Home in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Every family who had suffered the loss of a loved one was contacted. Individual counseling, group support for spouses, and a support group for parents who lost children were offered, and memorial services were conducted. Thousands of families were touched by her ministry.
Arlene considered the start of Gerard’s House her greatest achievement. It was a center for grieving children from age three to 19 who had lost a parent, sibling, friend, or even a pet. The ministry was freely supported by city and national grants. Gerard’s House grew, offering healing to thousands of children, educating 100 volunteer facilitators, offering more than 20 weekly groups with a staff of seven, and becoming self-sufficient. The city of Santa Fe wrapped its arms around Gerard’s House.
Sister Arlene taught classes and gave workshops and retreats on grief and death education, as well as in spirituality, around New Mexico and beyond. She felt it a great honor to be invited to do some of that same work in Australia in 2008. For Arlene, the work done in grief and loss was the most fulfilling of the ministries she had done. She often commented on the wonder of helping those who were in pain and distress.
In 2009, Sister Arlene retired to Clement Manor in Greenfield, Wisconsin, teaching in the Center for Enrichment, providing spiritual direction, and volunteering. In 2013, Arlene published Called to Be Mystics: Exploring our Spiritual Journey.
More recently, health concerns took Arlene to Sacred Heart in Milwaukee and then to Our Lady of the Angels Convent in Greenfield. Dedicated health professionals and staff cared for her. Her large, joyous smile recognized their presence.
We send you off remembering that big smile, and we want you to rest in peace now, Sister Arlene.