Sister Giovanni Rief (Eileen)
Died – March 28, 2008
Age - 92
Birthplace – Oakland, California
Easter Sunday was a day of rejoicing in the Lord’s Resurrection. The Motherhouse Community socialized in the Gym while the Sisters from St. Rita Health Center and the General Administration met in the cafeteria. All had a great time celebrating. Sister Giovanni was among those in the cafeteria taking in as much as she could. Towards evening, however, Sister Giovanni became ill. By early Monday morning, Sister had taken a turn for the worse and our prayer vigil at her bedside began. We kept “watch” for a few days until her vital signs seemed to be better. Sister was then moved to the first floor annex where at 1:45 a.m. on March 28, she commended her soul to the Lord’s safe keeping.
Sister Giovanni, nee Eileen Rief, was the daughter of the late Peter and Ella (Johnson) Rief. She came into the world on January 27, 1915 in Oakland, California. The family moved to Nebraska when Eileen was very young since Eileen recalls attending a one-room country school where she and her younger sister were the only Catholic students. When Eileen was ready for seventh grade she and her sister went to board with an aunt and uncle in West Point so that they could attend Guardian Angel School there.
Eileen Rief met Alice Knievel (our present Sister Angelita), an eighth grader at the parish school. They became good friends and discussed such things as becoming Sisters. Now Eileen was a fun-loving person, who loved to dance and have a good time, so when she brought up the idea of entering a convent, her male siblings especially didn’t think she stood a chance. No way would she stick it out! In June 1928, two weeks after Eileen graduated from the eighth grade, Eileen and Alice left for Holy Family Convent, Manitowoc.
Because Eileen was younger than Alice, they were separated when they entered the convent. Eileen began her high school education at Holy Family Academy. She was the youngest in her group of “Mary’s Guards of Honor” who were preparing to be received in June 1931. The Reception Ceremony was scheduled for June 16, and as was the custom, each candidate could list three name choices. Eileen’s three choices were all the same – Giovanni, the Italian name for John. (She had a great devotion to St. John; hence her duplicate choices). From June 16, 1931until her demise, she was known as Sister Giovanni. Sister Giovanni pronounced her first vows on August 15, 1933.
Sister Giovanni earned a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science Degree from Catholic University, Washington, D.C. She served as an elementary teacher at St. Benedict, Cambridge, Ohio and St. John, Antigo, Wis.
In 1936, while teaching at Antigo, she answered Mother Generose’s appeal for volunteers for the nursing profession. Sister Giovanni was one of three Sisters who were chosen to begin nursing education at Holy Family Hospital. Sister Giovanni received a diploma upon completion of her nursing program. She served as an anesthetist at Holy Family Hospital and clinical specialist in psychiatry at both Holy Family and at Tucson, Ariz. She also served as school psychologist at St. Joseph, Waukesha and a counselor at St. Francis Xavier, Petoskey, Mich. She retired from active duties in 1986 and served as a volunteer at Holy Family Memorial Medical Center and visitor to the elderly and home-bound in West Point, Nebraska and performed various tasks at St. Francis Convent, Manitowoc. She came to St. Rita Health Center in December 2005.
School ministry was a difficult adjustment for Sister Giovanni, but because she was deeply spiritual, she succeeded. She brought her faith into her counseling sessions. She was very concerned about the development of the whole child and had a compassionate heart. Sister counseled students on a one-to-one basis and in small groups and also counseled parents. She took time to see every student in the school to let them know that they need not have a problem in order to see a counselor. Her approach was wellness: building self-esteem and confidence and learning responsible behavior. She was a good example of hopefulness – “Life is for Living.”
Sister was very enthused about her ministry whether it was working with the mentally ill or with the children in school or with their parents. The nurses who worked in the 2 East Psychiatric unit at Holy Family Hospital with Sister Giovanni remembered that there was nothing Sister Giovanni couldn’t do if she put her mind to it. She was amazing and in spite of difficult times, they loved her dearly.
Many of us hadn’t known Sister Giovanni well. We knew that she was from Nebraska and had been a nurse for a great part of her life. However, when she came to St. Rita’s we got to know her a little better. She was still a person who loved life and liked to have fun, too. There was always that twinkle in her eye, perhaps a little hint of mischief that she’d like to pull on us. In recent months we missed that hint of playfulness, her keen observation and awareness that was so much a part of her.
Sister Giovanni was to celebrate her 75th jubilee in late April. Regretfully, she will not be a part of that celebration at the Motherhouse. We rejoice with Sister Giovanni, for she had a GREATER CELEBRATION: a grand entrance into the heavenly banquet of the Lord for all eternity! Perhaps she is now boasting to her family who preceded her in death, “See, I made it! I persevered to the end in my vocation as a Franciscan Sister of Christian Charity!”
Congratulations, Sister Giovanni and thank you!
