Sr. Mary McElmeel, BVM

Sister Mary McElmeel, BVM (Eugenne), 99, of Mount Carmel Bluffs, 1160 Carmel Drive, Dubuque, Iowa, died Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023.

Rite of Committal for Natural Burial will be Thursday, Oct. 26, 2023, at 11:00 a.m. preceded by quiet visitation from 10:30 – 11:00 a.m. Natural burial will be in the Mount Carmel Cemetery. Sharing of Memories will be Monday, Oct. 30, 2023, at 9:30 a.m. in the Mary Frances Clarke Chapel at Mount Carmel Bluffs, followed immediately by a Memorial Mass at 10:30 a.m.

Sister Mary was a pastoral associate at the Cathedral of St. Raphael and a teacher at St. Anthony, both in Dubuque, Iowa.  She was a teacher at St. Jude, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and St. Paul, Davenport, Iowa, where she also served as principal.  In addition, she taught in Chicago; San Francisco; Glendale, Calif.; and Omaha, Neb.  She volunteered in Hispanic ministry in Kankakee County, Ill.  She served the congregation as administrator of the Motherhouse and assistant novice mistress.

She was born on Aug. 18, 1924, in Delhi, Iowa, to Peter and Catherine (Byrne) McElmeel. She entered the BVM congregation Sept. 8, 1944, from St. Mary Parish, Manchester, Iowa. She professed first vows on March 19, 1947, and final vows on Aug. 15, 1952.

She was preceded in death by her parents; sisters Irene (Wayne) Millburn and Beatrice (Ken) Jenkins; brothers Raymond McElmeel, Elmer (Vi) McElmeel, and James McElmeel.  She is survived by a sister-in-law Elsie McElmeel, Waterloo, Iowa; nieces; nephews; and the Sisters of Charity, BVM, with whom she shared life for 79 years.

Memorials may be given to Sisters of Charity, BVM, 1100 Carmel Drive, Dubuque, IA 52003 or online at https://www.bvmsisters.org/support_donate.cfm.

Hachmann-Mier Funeral Home, 100 N 6^th St, Bellevue, Iowa is in charge of arrangements.