Submitted by: Dan Rich

Sister M. John Michael Hetel (Mary Colette Hertel), CSC  

June 21, 1904 - Aug. 21, 1999

South Bend Tribune 8/23/1999

Sister M. John Michael, CSC, was the third member of a South Bend family with a religious vocation in the international Congregation of the Sisters of the Holy Cross and a rare family distinction.

In a religious vocation that spanned silver, golden and diamond jubilee anniversaries, she often was cited by her congregation superiors for talented skills that included those of a teacher, hospital volunteer, business acumen, manager and even service as a licensed chauffeur for her sister nuns. Born Colette Mary Hertel to Michael Andrew Hertel and Mary Pauline Rosing on June 21, 1904, in Freemont, Ill., she passed away at the age of 95, at 8:15 p.m. Friday, Aug. 21, in St. Mary's Convent.

The Mass of Resurrection will be at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday in the Church of Our Lady of Loretto at St. Mary's Convent and burial in the community cemetery. Friends may call after 3 p.m. Monday in the church.

She was the fifth eldest in the Hertel family that included 11 children, six girls and five boys. Preceding her in death were Aloyisos, Walter, Paul, Helen, Hildegarde, Raymond and Sister M. Ivan (Ceile) who passed away at the age of 96, five years ago at St. Mary's Convent. Survivors include a brother Norbert of Portland, Ore.; and two sisters, Sister M. Clare Marie, C.S.C. of St. Mary's Convent and Mrs. Elmer J. Danch of South Bend. The Hertel family moved from Freemont to Goshen in 1918 at the request of a friend of Mr. Hertel. In Goshen, Mr. and Mrs. Hertel operated a 24-room boarding house for travelers and railroad employees directly across the tracks from the New York Central Station. Shortly afterwards, Mr. Hertel met an unfortunate death when struck by the 20th Century Limited which was running late in the evening. Two years later, Mrs. Hertel married John Wortinger, a family friend and who assumed responsibility of the 11 Hertel children. While living in Goshen, the family was a member a member of St. John the Evangelist Church and the children all attended St. John School. In 1922, the Hertel family moved to South Bend and resided for many years on North Lafayette Boulevard in an area now occupied by Memorial Hospital facilities.

From South Bend, Colette Hertel joined a sister, Sister M. Ivan, C.S.C., then a teacher at St. Mary's of the Wasatch near Salt Lake city and stayed to graduate from the school there. Active in recreation programs at the school, Colette Hertel brought her athletic talents to South Bend, and for many years played on the Goodrich Girl's Basketball team that was coached by her brother, Raymond, a South Bend High School athlete. Colette Hertel was also active as a volunteer girl's swimming coach locally and even qualified for several national championships. The Studebaker Corp. sought her talents for office procedures and her excellent accomplishments led the company to offer her a top supervisory post in their fledgling automotive assembly plant in Los Angeles, Calif. She shocked her employers by telling them that ''I have decided to become a nun at St. Mary's!''

She entered the convent on Feb. 2, 1936; made her first profession of vows on Aug. 15, 1938, and her final profession of vows on Aug. 15, 1941. Her first assignment was as a teacher at Hammond Noll Institute in the Calumet area and among other duties, she coached girl's athletic teams. She was assigned to several other posts before returning to St. Mary's Convent. There, she managed a myriad of supervisory positions, including that of purchasing, laundry and maintenance. Because of her supervisory skills, she was asked to compile a book on the many duties she was asked to handle.

During her early years in South Bend, she also helped coach girl's basketball teams at St. Mary's Academy, then located on Taylor Street, using St. Patrick School gymnasium for practice. Later, she also took on the assignment as a volunteer girl's coach at St. Joseph School, which was under the supervision of the sisters of the Holy Cross.

Her sports interests never waned. She was a loyal Chicago White Sox fan and a Notre Dame football fan. She often carried a pocket radio to listen to broadcasts of both the Sox and Fighting Irish. Her special highlights included occasional trips to see the White Sox in Chicago and also to a few out of town Notre Dame football games at West Lafayette for Purdue tilts and to Los Angeles to watch the Irish play the University of Southern California. She was a devout religious sister in every sense of the word and whose talented mission outreach touched the lives of hundreds, but especially the poor, hungry and neglected. Kaniewski Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.