February 27, 2009
People We Care About
Following is a feature in the Message, designed to help draw together the People of God in southwestern Indiana. Readers are invited to submit information about people who may benefit by some extra prayers and attention.
Benedictine Sister Bernette Wildeman, 94, of Monastery Immaculate Conception in Ferdinand, died Feb. 19, in the monastery’s Hildegard Health Center.
She was born in 1914 in St. Philip, Posey County, the fifth of 10 children of Valentine and Bernadine (Martin) Wildeman. She entered the Sisters of St. Benedict of Ferdinand in 1930 and made her final profession in 1936.
Survivors include her brother, Anthony Wildeman of Evansville and her sister, Poor Clare Sister Mary Elizabeth Wildeman of Evansville.
Sister Bernette taught for more than 50 years beginning at Rockport in 1933 and continuing at Elberfeld, Vincennes, St. Anthony, Tell City, Washington, Indianapolis, Haubstadt, Mount Vernon, Boonville, Evansville [St. Joseph, St. Benedict, Holy Rosary and Christ the King] and in California. She also taught religious education at Ferdinand and Dubois.
She served in support ministries at the monastery and, for the past nine years, in the ministry of prayer.
A funeral Mass was held Feb. 23 in the monastery church, with burial in the monastery cemetery.
Please send information for PEOPLE WE CARE ABOUT to Mary Ann Hughes, The Message, P.O. Box 4169, Evansville, IN 47724. The e-mail address is mhughes@evansville-diocese.org.