http://www.sistersofthedivinesavior.org/News/Sisters/0207_Kinzer,ferdinelle.htm

Sister Ferdinelle Kinzer , SDS

July 21, 1914 † February 28, 2007

Bertha Therese was born July 21, 1914 in Killam, Alberta, Canada, in the diocese of Edmonton. She was the daughter of James (sic) and Appolonia (Fleishman) Kinzer, both of whom had been born in the United States. Bertha entered the Congregation November 13, 1930 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and on August 12, 1931 entered the novitiate, receiving the name Ferdinelle. She made First Vows August 13, 1932 and Final Vows August 13, 1938, both in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

S. Ferdinelle did her undergraduate work at Marquette University in English and Latin, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1948. Her graduate work for a Master of Arts degree in Library Science, completed in 1962, was done at Rosary College (now Dominican University) River Forest, Illinois.

For the greater part of her religious life, S. Ferdinelle was involved in the apostolate of education, serving as an elementary teacher in Volo, Illinois, East Bristol, Wisconsin, and Mother of Good Counsel School, Milwaukee, Wisconsin until 1952. She also spent two years (1945 – 1947) teaching in our school in Abbots Langley, England. Her longest tenure of service was at Divine Savior and Divine Savior Holy Angels High School, Milwaukee, where she was teacher of English and Latin and later the head librarian from 1952 – 1978. Regarding her years of teaching, S. Ferdinelle said in her oral history, "The greatest satisfaction I found during my active life in the teaching apostolate was instructing the students, watching them grow spiritually and physically and helping them through whatever they needed help with. I was particularly interested in the students who had difficulty in studying. I would help them quietly, not making it evident to worsen the problem."

After retiring from teaching, S. Ferdinelle continued to use her library skills by organizing the provincial archives for the North American Province in Milwaukee. She did this faithfully and conscientiously from 1978 - 1985 when she happily turned over the main responsibility to others, staying on part-time as a resource person. After this ministry, S. Ferdinelle continued sharing her talents in the Religious Development Library of the province, a task she did faithfully until 1999, when she retired.

S. Ferdinelle was very conscientious in her professional work, and good at detail. To offset her devotion to duty, she relaxed by making delicious fudge, listening to classical music, and above all, following the Milwaukee Brewers baseball team. She said in her biography: "My love for baseball rubbed off on me from my father and brother's interest in sports, especially baseball. I was pitcher on our co-ed Catholic softball team which played in the evening after Benediction and Lenten services."

In her retirement, S. Ferdinelle lived at Salvatorian Heights, St. Anne's Convent and Salvatorian Sisters Residence when it opened in January, 2001. She continued to volunteer as sacristan at the large chapel at St. Anne's and as "keeper" of the library at the Salvatorian Sisters Residence.

Over the ensuing years, she experienced numerous ups and downs as her health declined. During her final weeks of life, the Sisters visited her frequently and prayed with her as she awaited her passage into eternal life. Then on February 28 just after noon, she took her last breath in the presence of S. Maria Elena Arias and S. Malia Kao. S. Ferdinelle was 92 years old and professed for 74 years.

May she rejoice now in the peace and love of the Savior.

S. Ferdinelle was preceded in death by her parents, James (sic) and Appolonia, two brothers: Nicholas (Annie) and Ferdinand and six sisters: Mary (Bill) Schulte, Clara, Dora (Gordon) Fee, Helen (Richard) Kinzer, Amelia (Charles) Feddema, Margaret (Roy) Dunham. She is survived by two sisters: Blanche Gair and Josephine Feddema, and many nieces and nephews.

The Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Friday, March 2, 2007 at 1:30 PM, with visitation beginning at 11:30 AM. Burial will be at Holy Cross Cemetery, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.