Jubilarian 2020 - Sister Geraldine (Gerrie) Grabow

Sister Geraldine (Gerrie) Marie Grabow was born in Denver, Colorado. She entered the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet in 1959 and was received into the novitiate in 1960 as Sister Adrienne Marie. She earned a bachelor’s degree in English from Fontbonne College in 1964 and master’s degrees in English from St. Louis University in 1971 and in secondary education administration from Bradley University in 1976.

For the first four years of her ministry work, beginning in 1964, Sister Gerrie taught at Redemptorist High School in Kansas City, Missouri. The following year, she taught at St. Pius X High School in Atlanta, Georgia. In 1969, she went on to teach for the next six years at St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Florissant, Missouri. Then, for nearly two years, she taught at Academy of Our Lady/Spalding in Peoria, Illinois.

In 1977, she stepped out of the classroom and was secretary at St. Cecilia Grade School in St. Louis. Sister Gerrie returned to the classroom and St. Thomas Aquinas High School, where she taught for four more years. In 1984, she moved back to Kansas City to teach at CSJ-sponsored St. Teresa’s Academy, which lasted for 12 years.

After a year’s time in transition, remaining in the Kansas City area, Sister Gerrie worked in customer service – accounts receivable at Cornerstone Health Services from 1998 to 2001. She also worked as a library technician for Parks & Recreation Planning and Design Services from 2001 to 2002, and then provided in home service for CSJ Care Home Care - Kansas City through 2003.

Sister Gerrie retired in 2004. Since 2008, she has resided at Nazareth Living Center in St. Louis, carrying out her mission of prayer and presence.