Eileen Mary Meyer, SCN, 98 (formerly Eileen Patricia) was born in Louisville, KY, on March 15, 1926. She was the fifth child born to Alma Paul and Charles Joseph Meyer. She died May 22, 2024, in Louisville, Kentucky. She was a professed Sister of Charity of Nazareth for 75 years.
Sister Eileen’s first mission was with St. Steven School in Owensboro, Kentucky, where she was sent as a substitute for the last six weeks of school. The same day she made her first vows, she traveled with her parents to her first mission. She stayed at this school for the next three years as a sixth-grade teacher.
With enough credits from Nazareth College and an internship with St. Joseph Infirmary, she fulfilled her goal of becoming a Medical Technologist. She served at several hospitals: Our Lady of Peace in Louisville; Holy Family Hospital in Ensley, Alabama; and Memorial Hospital in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
In 1957, she earned her BS in Chemistry from Spalding College in Louisville.
After earning a Master’s Degree in Education and Psychology, she worked for Nazareth College/Spalding University for 17 years. Sister Eileen Mary was the Assistant Director of Financial Aid. She also served as the Assistant to the Provost for Student Services and later as the Dean of Students.
Sister Eileen served from 1993-1999 as the (first) Vice President of Mission for Flaget Memorial Hospital in Bardstown, KY. In retirement, she spent her time as a volunteer for her SCN Congregation and was a part of the Presence Committee at Nazareth Home.
She is survived by her sisters Anna Catherine Meyer of Louisville and Imelda Jean Kargl of Louisville; and 19 devoted nieces and nephews. She is survived by her extended family and her religious community, the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth.
Funeral and burial arrangements are as follows:
- The Wake will be held Tuesday, May 28, 2024, at 9 a.m. in St. Vincent de Paul Church.
- The Funeral Mass will immediately follow the Wake, at 10:30 a.m., in St. Vincent de Paul Church, followed by burial in the Nazareth Cemetery.
- The Funeral will be webcast at https://nazareth.org/live
Funeral Arrangements are being handled by Ratterman Funeral Home, 3800 Bardstown Road, Louisville, Ky. Memorials may be made to Office of Mission Advancement, P.O. Box 9, Nazareth, KY, 40048.
I had the privilege to know Sister Eileen, through my Great Aunt Margaret Maginnis, SCN, formerly Sister John Emily Maginnis. In 2020 my Mother Kathy Silva and I stayed at their house, along with Sister Kathleen, and a wonderful friendship blossomed. She was funny, kind, loving and adored our Lord Jesus Christ. Laughing and sitting at their table eating desserts at night was one of my fondest memories. Driving in her car, (be aware she was a little rough to drive with! LOL) she gave us tours of the “Hars” (horse) Farms, and a visit to “her” “My Old Kentucky Home”. (Inside joke) A fun trip to the Kentucky Derby, while not during the famous race, was also a lot of fun with these loving their life Sisters. One last visit while at Nazareth House around 2007, when my daughter was 3, we spent a week with her, my Great Aunt & Sister Kathleen and again the friendship blossomed even more and sweet treats and laughs were plentiful! One final hug, and sadly we were never able to go back to visit, before the Sisters all passed. She will forever be remembered as one of the two Sisters that my Great Aunt called “best friends” and for that I love her even more. Rest in Peace Sister Eileen.