Benedictine Sister Mary Leon Kiesel Dies

Benedictine Sister Mary Leon Kiesel, 84, of Monastery Immaculate Conception in Ferdinand, died on Dec. 16  at the monastery.

Sister Mary Leon was born on Oct. 18, 1934, in Fort Branch, Ind., 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. 

Sister Mary Leon attended St. Benedict College in Ferdinand, studying education. She served the majority of her ministry (1956-1997) as a teacher at St. Theresa School in Evansville, St. Bernard School in Rockport, St. Mary School in Huntingburg, Celestine Elementary School and Holy Family School in Jasper. 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.

Survivors include three brothers, Father Leo Kiesel, retired priest of the Diocese of Evansville, of Loogootee; Robert of Haubstadt; and Donald Joseph of Evansville; two sisters, Elvira Meyer of Haubstadt and Sister Mary Jane Kiesel of Ferdinand; brothers 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.

Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on Dec. 19 in the monastery church. Interment followed in the monastery cemetery.