Community Roundup: Sisters of Mercy celebrate 100th birthday for Sr. Madelyn Marie Gordon
Sister of Mercy celebrates 100th birthday
FREMONT - Sister Madelyn Marie Gordon celebrated her 100th birthday on Sunday with a Mass and dinner at our Lady of the Pines with her family. Present, in addition to many nieces and nephews was her twin brother Donald from Piqua.
Over the years Sister Madelyn was fond of hinting to the other sisters she lived with at St. Bernardine Convent in Fremont that her birthday was coming up by telling them that her twin brother would soon be celebrating his birthday.
Throughout her many years of active ministry, Sister Madelyn was involved in numerous aspects of healthcare. She served as department supervisor for pediatrics, maternity, and gynecology as well as Director of Nursing at several hospitals.
In her last 30+ years before her retirement in 2005, she took a major shift from direct nursing care to pastoral care as well as director of that department. These works of mercy took her to Owensboro, Kentucky, and Coldwater, Ohio. After those assignments it was back to northwest Ohio as she was stationed at Mercy Hospitals in Toledo and Tiffin and at St. Charles Hospital in Oregon, Ohio.
A ministry dear to her heart was the pastoral care and assistant manager positions at Charles Crest 1 and 2, retirement communities for low-income seniors. She spent many hours visiting the residents, taking Communion to them, and companioning them. Her visits were the highlight of the residents’ days and the feeling was very mutual.
Now that she is retired, she is faithful to her ministry of prayer for all those whose requests for prayers are posted on the convent prayer board. She stays up to date on current affairs and adds the people affected by the wars around the world to her personal prayer list.
Sister Madelyn was born in Deshler, on Oct. 22, 1923, and raised on the family farm, the middle of eight children. Her twin Donald is her only living sibling. All eight children, however, lived into their nineties — and now beyond. Her connection to them and all the family lives on, especially through the annual Gordon family reunion where the families are color-coded by T-shirts. When Sister arrives, she finds a seat and all — young and older — flock to her. One niece commented that it is like she is holding court.
Her fellow Sisters of Mercy at St. Bernardine’s and from around the area will joined her for a celebratory dinner Monday at St. Bernardine’s.
Ottawa County Senior Resources announces Senior Hall of Fame inductees
PORT CLINTON - Ottawa County Senior Resources has announced the 2023 Ottawa County Senior Hall of Fame inductees.
This year’s event took place on Sept. 20 at the Camp Perry Clubhouse and served as the anchor program to our annual Senior Open House and Resource Fair. In addition, this year, Ottawa County Senior Resources recognized the seven Volunteer Guardians currently working with the Ottawa County Probate Court.
Each recipient received a plaque commemorating their service to the seniors and citizens of Ottawa County.
The recipients for this year’s awards include: John Stayancho, nominated by the Danbury Senior Center; Joyce Klingaman, nominated by the Ed Griswold (Genoa) Senior Center; Rosalyn Barnhill, nominated by the Family Advocacy Center; Peg Finnegan and Bruce Kent, nominated by the Port Clinton Senior Center and Kathi Spayde, nominated by the Put-in-Bay Senior Center.
In addition, the Ottawa County Common Pleas Court, Probate Division, nominated the following Ottawa County Volunteer Guardians: Annette Lucas, Jody Strickling, Jim Adkins, Dianne Hartenburg, Michael Sesock, Katherine Withrow and Annette LeForce.
The News-Messenger/News Herald
This article originally appeared on Fremont News-Messenger: Community Roundup: Sister Madelyn Marie Gordon notes 100th birthday
