Sister Ivan Goedken, OSF

Goedken Ivan

Sister Ivan Goedken, OSF, of Clare House, Dubuque, Iowa, died at 5:45 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 19, 2017, in the 81st year of her religious life.

The Mass of Christian Burial will be Wednesday, August 23, 2017, at 1 p.m. in Francis Chapel. Burial will be in Mount Calvary Cemetery.

Vernice Goedken was one of nine children born to Frank and Ida (Domeyer) Goedken in Petersburg, Iowa. An aunt from Minnesota was visiting and waited for the birth so that she could be Vernice’s sponsor. Vernice was born at 6:00 a.m. on January 5, 1918, and was baptized the same day by an itinerant missionary. The Goedkens lived on a 260 acre farm near Bear Creek. Her older brothers would give her boat rides on the creek in a motor boat, and she loved looking ahead to see the bridge spanning the creek.

Vernice attended grade school at St. Peter and Paul School in Petersburg where she was taught by the Franciscan sisters. Later she attended Immaculate Conception Academy in Dubuque because her brother was studying for the priesthood at Loras College, and her parents could bring both of them to Dubuque.  It was at IC that she decided to become a sister, but she credits her vocation to her father’s six sisters who had preceded her.

She entered Mount St. Francis January 25, 1937, and was received August 12 that same year, and given the name, Sister Mary Ivan.

After profession in 1942, Sister Ivan taught in many elementary schools as well as Columbus High School, Immaculate Conception Academy, Aquin High School, and Beckman High School. Her education included the areas of English, Speech, Library Science, and Counseling. She also served at the Archbishop’s Residence and Mary of the Angels before going to Kuemper High School where she spent fifteen years in charge of the Listening Center, making tapes, filmstrips, and audio-visual equipment available to teachers and students. While teaching at Carroll Iowa, Sister was a member of the Carroll Writers’ Club. In their publication she has a poem in the 1982 and 1987 issues as well as poems in the Lyrical Iowa/Towa Poetry Association issues. It was here that she was widely known for her smile and her helpfulness.

Sister Ivan came to Mount St. Francis in 1987 where she served as the archivist until 1993. Her careful and organized ways are evident to this day. She moved to Holy Family Hall in 2006, and in 2011 Sister moved to Clare House.

Sister is survived by her brother Fred; nieces, nephews, and her Franciscan sisters with whom she shared over 80 years of her life.

Sister was preceded in death by her parents; brothers: Leonard (Kathryn) Goedken, Rev. Nestor Goedken, Ralph (Carol) Goedken; sisters: Irma (Ed) Deutmeyer, Mildred (John) Reiter, Rita (James) Fangman, Emily (Ambrose) Osterhaus; sister-in-law Elaine Goedken.

Memorials may be given to the Sisters of St. Francis, Dubuque, IA.