Sister Irmentraud Gärtner - Emmanuel von Ketteler Province

Sisters of Divine Providence, Mainz e.V.
Emmanuel von Ketteler Province

"My Jesus, have mercy, I trust in You"

Dear Sisters, dear family members and nurses who cared for her, yesterday morning, February 24, 2016, at 8.00 a.m. our beloved Sister Maria Irmentraud Gärtner passed away peacefully into eternal Life.

Her daily prayer to Jesus was fulfilled and now she can enjoy God’s mercy eternally.

Sr. Irmentraud was born as Katharina Gärtner on December 22, 1917  in Kleinhausen/ Bergstraße.  After finishing high school she was trained as a nurse. On November 21, 1939, before completing 22 years, she entered our Congregation despite the chaos of war.  

After her novitiate and temporal vows in Aschaffenburg she was sent to the convent in Münster, there she visited sick people in their homes and helped with the daily tasks of the community. As a nurse she worked from 1943 to 1945 at the Marienhospital and in 1946 she was sent to work at the Hildegardis Hospital in Mainz.

As a home visiting nurse Sister Irmentraud fulfilled her ministries from 1951 to 1955 in Ingelheim and from 1955 to 1987 in Lieck, near the Dutch border. From 1987 to 1990 she was superior at the nursing home Josefsstift in Mainz, until the closure of this ministry. Sister Irmentraud was known as a very kind and loving nurse, who had surrendered to the will of God and who worked with joy for her patients and their families and for her sisters. Her friendly and warm nature was a witness to God’s loving care.

During her whole life Sister Irmentraud had strong bonds with her brother and with other family members. She enjoyed their visits and this was always a special day for her and for the whole community. Sister Irmentraud spent her last years at the convent in Mainz Finthen. Because of the renovation in Finthen she moved to the community in Mainz. Three weeks ago she fell and broke her leg. After surgery she was brought to our care station in Aschaffenburg. We are grateful to Sister Siegfrieda for her sensitive and longtime company and care for Sister Irmentraud. We also want to thank the team of nurses at Clemensheim in Aschaffenburg who cared with kindness and love for Sister Irmentraud during her last days.

Sister Irmentraud is now our faithful intercessor for the needs of our Congregation, the Church and our world.

Feast day: October 21st

Funeral and Resurrection Liturgy: February 29, 2016 in Aschaffenburg,

Mainz-Finthen, February 25, 2016

Sr. Clementine Fritscher
Provincial Superior