Bertha Eikelmann was born on Feb. 22, 1880 at St. Helena, Nebraska. Both parents were born in Westphalia, Germany. Four of her sisters also joined our community as Sisters M. Antonia, Cunigunda, Bonaventure and Columba. Bertha entered at Clyde on Aug. 1, 1901 and was invested with the religious habit on Jan. 23, 1902. She made her first profession of vows as Sister M. Salome on Apr. 21, 1903 and was perpetually professed on Jan. 13, 1912.

Sister was a truly virtuous person and a diligent worker, most conscientious about all her duties. Like her sisters, she had a good alto voice and used it generously in the Divine service, for which she was always most zealous.

In her early years Sister taught in the neighborhood district schools and at the orphanage. She was Mistress of Postulants from Sept. 1926 to March, 1928 and then Subprioress from April, 1928 to October, 1929, and assumed much responsibility during a prolonged illness of Mother M. Dolorosa. She also worked in the correspondence department where her knowledge of German made her a valuable helper with the European Caritas work. At the same time she did proofreading for the printery.

In April, 1934 Sister went to our Mundelein convent, where she was only able to do light tasks. Always rather delicate, she developed a serious heart condition and died suddenly of a heart attack on March 4, 1939 at the age of fifty-nine.