Jubilarian 2020 - Sister Josephine Eva Winkeler

Sister Josephine Eva Winkeler was born in St. Louis. She entered the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet in 1949 and was received into the novitiate in 1950 as Sister John Michael. She received a bachelor’s degree in education from Fontbonne College in 1961 and master’s degrees in education from St. Louis University in 1967 and computer science from Fontbonne College in 1993.

Sister Josephine was an educator for 50 years. In the 1950s, she taught grade school in Missouri at St. Louis Cathedral in St. Louis, Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Kansas City and Valle in Ste. Genevieve. From 1957-1963 she taught at St. Bede the Venerable in Chicago, followed by Immacolata in St. Louis. She continued teaching in the 1960s at Our Lady of Lourdes in Raytown, Missouri, St. Mary’s in Bridgeton and St. Luke the Evangelist in St. Louis.

In 1970, she returned to Valle Grade School, followed by St. Patrick Grade School through 1984 where she was an administrator. From 1984 to 1996, she was the principal at St. Anthony of Padua in St. Louis, then at St. Andrew School in Lemay, Missouri, for one year. Her last years in the classroom were spent at Notre Dame Elementary in St. Louis, where she taught junior high.

Sister Josephine volunteered in computer assistance at Nazareth Living Center in St. Louis until her retirement in 2016. Since 2017, she has resided at Nazareth Living Center where she continues to carry out her mission of prayer and presence.