Sister Agnes Leon Mahowald, CSJ
November 14, 1910 – December 10, 2008
The Lord will dawn on you in radiant beauty;
You will see His glory within you.
Advent Evening Prayer
This Advent promise and patient waiting for the coming of Christ well describe the hope that Sister Agnes Leon clung to in her final days as she awaited a peaceful death. During her last days at Bethany, she could no longer watch the ruby-red radiant sunsets nor delight in the white loveliness of the wintry snowfalls. Yet, her peaceful countenance gave evidence of her total readiness for Christ’s coming as she lived out life’s most meaningful and gracious invitation: Come, Lord Jesus, come!
Antoinette Veronica, the daughter of Veronica Berres and Nicholas Mahowald, was born on November 14, 1910, in Hector, Minnesota. The new baby, a welcomed addition to a family of seven boys and one girl, was baptized in the Church of St. John the Baptist. Antoinette was just one year old when her father died of typhoid. Following the death of Nicholas, her mother decided to move the family to New Market where the children would be closer to family relatives.
In New Market, Antoinette was educated by the Sisters of Notre Dame. Gifted with a happy disposition, she knew and loved everybody in town. When she was just twelve years old, her mother died, and her mother’s brother and his wife took over her care and education. It was Uncle George and Aunt Maggie who chose Derham Hall for Antoinette’s high school years. Following graduation, Antoinette chose to enter St. Joseph’s Hospital School of Nursing in St. Paul. That was a perfect choice for Antoinette and one which led to her lifelong vocation as a joy-filled and dedicated Sister of St. Joseph and an outstanding, caring and excellent nurse, educator and administrator.
Antoinette entered the novitiate of the Sisters of St. Joseph as a postulant on September 18, 1932. As was customary in those years, she received the habit on the feast of St Joseph in 1933, and was given her religious name, Sister Agnes Leon. On the feast of the Assumption, August 15, 1938, she pronounced her final vows. Already Sister was known as a joyful C.S.J., a highly competent head nurse and supervisor, and a community-builder in the local convent as well as in the field of health care.
From earliest years in the community, Sister Agnes Leon was a well-educated Sister of St. Joseph. As for her professional background, she received her BS degree in Nursing Education from St. Louis University and her MS in Nursing Education from the Catholic University of America. Throughout the years, Sister also attended enrichment courses at the University of Minnesota. Additional educational experiences included attendance at national conventions: the American Nurses Association Conventions, the Conferences of Catholic Schools of Nursing, Catholic Hospital Association Conventions and the Minnesota League for Nursing. Sister Agnes Leon also chaired and served on local, state and national committees in the fields of Nursing Education, Psychiatric Nursing, Rehabilitation, Medical and Surgical Nursing, Administration and Supervision. In addition to her lifelong pursuit of excellence in ministry, Sister made every effort to assure that future nurse would be the best they could be. Some of her C.S.J. administrative positions included the following: Head Nurse and Supervisor at St. Joseph’s Hospital and St. Mary’s Hospital; Director of the Department of Nursing at the College of St. Catherine; Director of the C.S.J. School of Nursing located in Grand Forks; Director of St. Joseph Hospital School of Practical Nursing; Director of Volunteers at St. Mary’s Hospital; Coordinator of Activities and In-Service at Bethany.
At one time, in 1985, Sister Agnes Leon almost retired, but subsequently changed her mind and decided to volunteer once again. She returned to St. Mary’s Hospital in order to welcome surgical patients who came early to the hospital. For five years, from 5:20 a.m. – 8:30 a.m., she was there to greet the anxious patients and to assist them. What a gracious and lovely hostess she was!
Finally, in 1991, Sister came to Bethany. As always, she was a people person and a caring Sister of St. Joseph. Sister Agnes Leon died as she had lived -- a peaceful Sister. May she rest in peace.
The Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated in the Bethany Chapel on Monday, December 15, at 10:00 a.m. Following the Mass, Sister Agnes Leon was buried at Resurrection Cemetery.
Sister was preceded in death by her parents, Veronica and Nicholas, sister, Marie Young and brothers, Frank, George, Nick, Reverend Anton, Jacob,
Sister Agnes Leon is survived by many loving nieces and nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews, cousins, friends and the Sisters of St. Joseph and Consociates.
