Anna Eikelmann was born at St. Helena, Nebraska, March 12, 1872, just two years before our first Sisters came to America from Maria Rickenbach. Both parents were from Westphalia, Germany. She entered at Clyde on April 12, 1887 at the age of fifteen, following in the footsteps of an older sister, Sister M. Antonia. After her, three more of her sisters entered our convent, Sisters M. Bonaventure, Salome and Columba. She was received into the novitiate on Sept.10, 1887, made profession as Sister M. Cunigunda on March 25, 1889, and perpetual vows on November 4, 1902. She had the privilege of Consecration of Virgins and of celebrating her Golden and Diamond Jubilees.

Born and raised on a farm, Sister was accustomed to hard physical labor and used her strength generously in the service of the community. For about twenty-five years she had charge of the bakery, providing the community (and also the Orphanage in earlier years) with wholesome bread. This entailed rising at 3:30 a.m., getting wood and coal for the stove, making the yeast, kneading and baking, cutting and dividing the bread. In those days the bakery was situated in the basement of the convent with many discomforts and few conveniences.

Sister enjoyed good health for many years, but in 1923 underwent serious surgery, from which she made a good recovery. It was then that her long career in the Altar Bread department began. In 1930 she was transferred to our Mundelein convent and remained there until transferred to the Clyde infirmary in 1964.

Sister M. Cunigunda had a beautiful alto voice and contributed much to the choral rendition of the Office and the sung Mass. She loved to sing short German songs and hymns and often did so at recreation. She was an example of recollection and joy, and in her late years many remarked her striking resemblance to good Pope John XXIII, both in appearance and disposition. Even when up in her nineties she faithfully helped with sorting altar breads at the Infirmary altar bread room and was very conscientious about being there at the time appointed. She loved prayer and faithfully kept her daily hour of adoration in the infirmary chapel; she also prayed the stations daily as long as she was able.

Sister was mentally alert until about the last year, when her condition declined steadily, but she still retained her sense of humor. As she neared her 100th birthday, her condition became so critical that it was feared she would not reach the centennial goal. However, she was granted this rare privilege, with an added two weeks of grace, when death came quietly and peacefully in the early night hours of Good Friday, March 31, 1972. Sister was interred on Easter Monday with a beautiful Easter liturgy, but heavy snow and severe cold prevented the community from going to the cemetery. All four of her sisters had preceded her in death. Sister is the pride and joy of the Congregation as the first member to have lived a full one hundred years, eighty-five of which were spent in the religious life.