
June 2, 1939 — October 12, 2024
Sister Mary Michaeleen Pardowsky, 85, died at Froedtert Holy Family Memorial Hospital, Manitowoc, Wisconsin after having lived 63 years in religious life.
SM Michaeleen Pardowsky was born on June 2, 1939, in Kewaunee, Wisconsin, as the second eldest daughter of Harry and Eleanor Pardowsky. Her sister, Jeanette had preceded her. On June 11th, she was baptized as Nancy Catherine Pardowsky. In the years that followed another sister, Gladys, was born; then two brothers, Michael and James and finally, two more sisters, Mary and Cathy, which brought the size of the total family to nine.
In 1945, Nancy Catherine, entered first grade at Holy Rosary School in Kewaunee. She celebrated her First Holy Communion in May of 1946. On June 1st in 1950, she was confirmed and chose the name of Mary.
After graduating from the eighth grade in June of 1953, Nancy Catherine, entered the nearby Public High School, since there was no Catholic High School in the city. Completing her educational experience there, she chose to enter the Holy Family School of Nursing in Manitowoc, Wisconsin. She clearly enjoyed her time in this three-year program, graduating from the nursing school on August 21, 1960.
To get a full picture of her life, it is important to note that Nancy had varied interests ranging from loving to read books, listening to recorded music or choice radio programs, enjoying sports, walking and even riding horseback.
Nancy Catherine went to work as a staff nurse at St. Vincent Hospital in Green Bay. She took her state board exams there, and in November received notice that she had passed and was now a registered nurse. She remained at St. Vincent’s for approximately nine months, until she felt a call to enter the postulancy of the Felician Sisters in Chicago, Illinois, on June 17, 1961.
Nancy often stated that she had been drawn to the Franciscan/Felician way of life because of the joyful Felician sisters that she had encountered in nursing school. She was invested as a novice in 1962 and received the name SM Michaeleen. She made her first profession on August 5th in 1963 and final profession on the same date in 1969.
SM Michaeleen went on to receive a Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing at De Paul University in 1971. Sister Michaeleen would later go on to Rush University where she received a Master of Science Degree as a Gerontological Nurse Practitioner in 1989. In her lifetime Sister had ministered in nursing obstetrics, newborn nursery, intensive care and in geriatric nursing. SM Michaeleen also attended Fox Valley School of Massage, graduating in 2003 when she had finished her professional massage training.
SM Michaeleen’s apostolic ministry stretched from Chicago, IL to Milwaukee, WI, and on to Manitowoc, WI as well as Pittsburgh, PA. She also participated in the Evangelization of Presence experience with the people of St. Theresa Parish in Petropavlovsk-Kanchatsky to witness the call to religious life and to give witness to Christ’s love for all people. Sister’s final ministry was as a Pastoral Care Assistant at St. Mary’s Home in Manitowoc, WI. In addition to her nursing service, through the years, Sister also served as Local Minister in the convents in Manitowoc and even in the North American Postulancy in Pittsburgh.
Sister Michaeleen was described as someone who listened, was kind and supportive as well as understanding. She was also remembered for her prayerful spirit with both Sisters and staff. She was recognized as someone who had devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary and to the Divine Mercy of Jesus. Everyone who knew her spoke of her strong support for pro-life issues.
Speaking for herself, SM Michaeleen said, she would like to be remembered “as a Sister who loved her community and tried to be Eucharist, Sister and Servant to all.”
Sister Mary Michaeleen died peacefully in Froedtert Holy Family Memorial Hospital in Manitowoc, Wisconsin on October 12, 2024. Family, friends and her sisters in community attended her wake and Mass of Christian Burial at the Blessed Angela Chapel in Felician Village on October 18, 2024. Later, friends and her sisters in community attended her wake and Mass of Christian Burial celebrated by Reverend Anthony Cirignani, OFM, in the Mother of Good Counsel Chapel on October 22, 2024, in Chicago, Illinois; her body was taken for interment to St. Adalbert Cemetery in Niles, Illinois.