 Della Margaret, daughter of Frank and Elizabeth Phannenstill Amann, was born October 21, 1908 in Round Lake, Illinois, archdiocese of Chicago. She entered the Congregation September 8, 1933 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and was received into the novitiate August 12, 1934, receiving as her religious name, Cecile. On August 13, 1935 Sister Cecile made her First Vows and on August 13, 1941, her Final Vows, both in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
After graduation from elementary school, Sister Cecile attended Holy Child High School in Waukegan, Illinois. Her teachers there were the Sisters of the Holy Child Jesus founded by Cornelia Connelly. Although after high school in 1926 three of her classmates entered that Order, Sister Cecile did not yet feel a strong call to Religious Life. Until she was 24 years old, she worked at home and did part-time office work. Sister Marguerite Rosing, SDS, who was also from Round Lake and wanted to encourage Sister Cecile to consider entering the Salvatorians, brought some SDS literature for her to read.
In her personal account of her life, Sister Cecile wrote: "I took the whole pack and without reading it, put it away. It bothered me more and more until one day my mother came from church and said that our pastor spoke about vocations to religious life. That did it!! I finally had the courage to tell her I felt the call. What a relief!" On September 8, 1933, feast of the Nativity of Mary and Fr. Jordan's death day, Sister Cecile entered our Congregation at St. Mary's Convent, Milwaukee.
Sister Cecile was a trained teacher and more than that, had inner qualities for the teaching profession. She received the Bachelor of Arts degree from Alverno College, Milwaukee and spent many a summer in continuing formation for teaching, especially in Religious Studies.
In her many years of teaching, Sister Cecile was almost always assigned as parish organist. Her wonderful background coming from a very musical family was a great advantage to her both in the classroom and in church. Sister Cecile served in our schools in Edson, Cadott, East Bristol, Almena, St. George, Schoolhill, and Schofield, Wisconsin. One year was spent teaching at Tekakwitha Children's home, Sisseton, South Dakota. In 1968, after 32 years of teaching, Sister Cecile went to All Saints School, Lakeville, Minnesota where she spent 10 more happy years loving and encouraging God's "Little Ones", seven years in the classroom and three years as a volunteer and tutor for children who needed special help. In the notebook where she told her life story, S. Cecile included most of her class lists from her many years of
teaching.
In 1978, Sister Cecile retired from teaching/tutoring and came to Milwaukee hoping to do volunteer work at St. Mary's Nursing Home. It was not to be. She was needed in Round Lake to help care for her aged and sickly mother which she did from 1978-1991. Her mother died peacefully at 101 years of age. Sister Cecile joyfully returned to community choosing St. Nazianz "as I liked the peace and quiet and nature's surroundings there" we read in the account of her life. Only the windstorm of 2001 which struck
the village of St. Nazianz and in particular severely damaged St. Mary's Convent where our Sisters lived, could force her and other Sisters to move to Salvatorian Heights, Milwaukee. Sister Cecile lived there until all of our elderly Sisters moved either to Salvatorian Sisters Residence or St. Anne's Home on the St. Anne's Salvatorian Campus.
Sister Cecile loved all and was loved by all. Her gentle and kindly ways and her beautiful smile endeared her to the children she taught, the Sisters she lived with and the parishioners where she served. She loved to correspond with friends and relatives and often made the cards she sent. She pressed flowers to put on these cards. Sister Cecile was deeply contemplative, a woman of prayer. One of her ministries at Salvatorian Heights, and at Salvatorian Sisters Residence was to read the weekly news (Update) and other timely articles to Sisters who had difficulty seeing.
In the last several weeks, Sister Cecile had increased back pain and difficulty getting around. Several days before her death, she was confined to bed because of pain and the need for increased medication.
Shortly after noon, Wednesday, June 22nd, Sister Cecile quietly gave over her spirit to the Lord, just as she had lived. Some Sisters were present with her, singing and praying. She was 96 years old and professed for almost 70 years. May she now enjoy full joy with our Risen Savior.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Frank and Elizabeth Amann and two brothers, Frank and Anthony. Sister Cecile is survived by her sister, Clara Buchardt, her brothers Delbert and Edward Amann, and her Salvatorian Sisters.
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