![Herber2](/app/chmiowa/assets/sister_stories/7b979d47b0f380279d0045e3b2b2b66c.jpg?v=1658906577)
Sister Mary Matilda Herber
Sister Mary Matilda was born in Lucas, Iowa of German born parents, but she considered herself a native of Ottumwa where she received her education at St. Joseph Academy and a business college in Ottumwa.
For almost 50 years she was community treasurer for the Sisters of the Humility of Mary, and she was very careful of community funds.
Sister loved flowers and had a garden of peonies which were given as gifts and used to decorate the sisters' graves. She died of a heart attack while watering her flowers.
During her active years, and more so upon retirement, she gathered gifts and took them to nursing homes and needy people.
Missions:
St. Anthony, Des Moines
St. Ambrose College, Davenport
Motherhouse, Ottumwa
A note received via the CHM Facebook page on 9/14/20.....
Today is my great great aunts birthday
Sister Mary Matilda (Frances Herber) Sept. 14th , 1890 is interred at the former Ottumwa Heights College where she was treasurer for almost 50 years. When it became Indian Hills my Mom who is Sister's great neice worked there doing student accounts so she worked in the same office space sister did. Now I am a custodian at Indian Hills which is so cool I think. The Humility Sisters influence is still very strong out there and, being Catholic, its a cool place to work with many Catholic reminders everywhere on campus. I never met Sister since she passed 8 years before my birth but I still stop and visit her grave often and leave her blue and white flowers since in life she loved flowers - and I am pretty sure blue and white are Mary's colors if memory serves correctly . HAPPY BIRTHDAY SISTER
God Bless all of you
Chris Sims