Sister Eileen Rose Bonner
Sister Eileen Rose Bonner passed away on Tuesday, May 5, 2026, at Providence Health Care at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana. She was 93-years-old and had been a Sister of Providence for 76 years.
Commentary
By Sister Paula Modaff, SP
A Reading from the Gospel according to John
Jesus prayed for his disciples: “I pray not only for these, but also for those who believe in me through their word, so that they may all be one, as you Abba, are in me and I in you, that they also may be one in us, that the world may believe that you sent me. And I have given them the glory you gave me so that they may be one, as we are one. … Abba, they are your gift to me.”
The Gospel of the Lord
If ever a Sister of Providence, along with our Saint Mother Theodore Guerin, embodied Jesus’ desire for oneness, it is our Sister Eileen Rose Bonner. She accepted the glory given to her by Jesus and she knew she was a gift to Jesus from the Abba. Eileen Rose fully shared those gifts with the way she lived her life. Until the afternoon before she died, Eileen Rose practiced this oneness and I personally experienced it.
I had visited a resident in Guerin Park and I was on my way back to my room in Lourdes Hall. Eileen was in her wheelchair in the circle of residents who were watching television. Eileen and I caught each other’s eye and she gave me a personal wave of her hand across the room.
I returned the wave and remembered our exchange when the next day, I received the word that she had passed into Eternal Life. Until her final 24 hours, Eileen practiced the oneness she had with thousands of people and I am so grateful to have been one of the recipients.
Sister Eileen Rose Bonner was born on May 29, 1932, in Whiting, Indiana, to John and Rose Byrne Bonner and was baptized Bridget Mary. Our sister seems to have had a variety of names. While she was in the Juniorate/Aspirancy, her friends affectionately called her Rita. Her sister, Brigid Ann, always addressed her as Rita as well.
Sister entered the Congregation of the Sisters of Providence on Jan. 8, 1950, and professed Final Vows on Aug. 15, 1957. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College and a master’s degree from Indiana State University.
Of her 76 years as a Sister of Providence, she ministered in education for 25 years in schools in Indiana and Illinois. She then became a certified chaplain and served for 30 years in three medical centers in Louisville, Kentucky. In her retirement, she remained in Louisville and gave service in a variety of ways, including being a GED tutor, an ESL teacher, a soup kitchen volunteer, and a bereavement volunteer for her parish.
It is clear that Eileen Rose was deeply respected and loved in every ministry she undertook. Sister Marsha Speth shared Facebook tributes of two students Eileen Rose taught in Vincennes, Indiana. Bill Minderman wrote: “Can’t say how sorry I am to hear this! Without question for me, the best, most memorable teacher I had. Sister Eileen Rose was my 7th/8th grade teacher at St. Francis Xavier! She and Father Patrick Foster were great mentors and examples at that time in my life! My lifelong friend and fellow classmate, Greg Carter, and I emailed with her just a few years ago to see how she was doing! Great lady!!!”
And Steve Risch noted, “Of all the nuns we had, she was my favorite. She was always in a good mood and treated us kindly.” Sister Maureen Fallon submitted another note of praise from Mary Anne Schager from the class of 1968 at Immaculate Heart of Mary in Indianapolis who shared that “Sister Eileen Rose was one of the kindest and most attentive people on the planet.”
Eileen Rose also left a lasting impression on the teachers with whom she ministered. Martha Brennan sent a long tribute. This is a quote of the first paragraph of the letter she sent to Sister Nancy Reynolds:
- There are those that simply do – they do their job, their ministry their life. Then there are those who wholly embody what they ‘do.’ Sister Eileen Rose didn’t just do education or teaching, she wholly embodied every great aspect about it – loving students, embracing patience, gently pulling out results, pushing through conflict, providing a save and nurturing space for student learning, failing and growing.
We would be here until midnight if all that Eileen Rose did as a chaplain and volunteer were to be recounted. Several certificates and articles describing her loving service are present in her file. We do have to include a testimony of Eileen Rose’s devotion even during her retirement when she was still living in Louisville. Sister Gloria Memering reports that Zoe Cannon contacted her to include a grateful memory of Eileen Rose. Zoe’s husband had been taught by Eileen Rose and he often spoke of her. When their son became ill and was in the hospital in Louisville, Eileen Rose spent hours with them for days. Zoe stated: “She was a light to our world when we needed it most. We loved her.”
Eileen Rose was a person of connections. Sister Mary Morley recalled that, while she lived in Cincinnati and the Bonners were in Louisville, how for more than 15 years Eileen Rose and her sister Brigid Ann prayed with her daily by Skype at 4 p.m., on weekdays and weekends at 10 a.m. Sister Mary Morley also recalled how the Bonner sisters loved dogs. Besides having several of their own, they took care of Mary’s dog while she was on her sabbatical.
Sister Claire Hanson said she was pleasantly shocked to receive a phone call from the two Bonner sisters. It appears that they had a practice of going through the list of Sisters of Providence and making contact in some way. I remember receiving a birthday card from them one year.
As Eileen spent her last years in long term health care, she continued to connect by firmly holding someone’s hand and looking deeply into their eyes even as she remained silent. Sister Joseph Ellen Keitzer, who shared a room with Eileen Rose during the last weeks of her life, stated that although she was not present when Eileen Rose died, she observed how peaceful she was during her last hours.
And so, Eileen Rose Rita Bonner, gentle woman, quiet light, thank you for sharing all of who you were with us and now rest in eternal love.
Funeral Information
Funeral services for Sister Eileen Rose took place Wednesday, May 20, and Thursday, May 21, in the Church of the Immaculate Conception at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods.
A Wake took place from 3:30-4:30 p.m., on Wednesday, May 20, with Vesper Services at 4:30 p.m.
An additional Wake took place from 10-11 a.m., on Thursday, May 21, with Mass of Christian Burial at 11 a.m.
Memorial contributions may be made in honor of Sister Eileen Rose to the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods.
We welcome you to share your memories of Sister Eileen Rose in the comment section below.
Sister Eileen Rose Bonner
Complete Ministry
In Illinois: Teacher, Immaculate Conception, Norwood Park, (1956-57);
In Indiana: Teacher, St. Francis Xavier, Vincennes (1957-63); Teacher/Principal, Immaculate Heart, Indianapolis (1964-69); Superior/Principal, Immaculate Heart, Indianapolis (1968-69); Teacher, St. Jude, Fort Wayne (1969-70); Principal, Holy Family Parish, New Albany (1970-73); Principal, St. Luke, Indianapolis (1973-75); Teacher, Nativity, Indianapolis (1975-77); Prayer, Saint Mary-of-the-Woods (2022-2026).
In Kentucky: Hospital Chaplain, SS. Mary and Elizabeth Hospital, Louisville (1978-97); Chaplain, Caritas Medical Center, Louisville (1998-2002); Spiritual Support, Kentuckiana Cancer Institute (2002-08); GED Tutor, Jefferson County Public Schools, Louisville (2009-10); Volunteer, Soup Kitchen, Old St. Paul’s Catholic Charities, Louisville (2010-12); Volunteer, St. Vincent de Paul’s Soup Kitchen, Louisville (2012-15); Volunteer/Tutor, Louisville (2015-17); Parish Bereavement Committee, Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church, Louisville (2017-21).
Sister Eileen Rose’s obituary is missing a piece of her service. She was principal at Holy Family School in New Albany, Indiana from 1970-1973.
I will certainly inquire about this ministry as soon as possible.
I have pictures of her as principal at Holy Family School in New Albany, Indiana from 1970-1973. How do I submit photos.
Eileen of Awesome
There are those that simply do — they do their job, their ministry, their life. Then there are those who wholly embody what they “do.” Sister Eileen Bonner didn’t just do teaching or education, she wholly embodied every great aspect about it—loving students, embracing patience, gently pulling out results, pushing through conflict, providing a safe and nurturing space for student learning, failing, and growing.
I didn’t meet Eileen until she was well into her 70’s, long past her “teaching” days and fully into living and loving life on her terms and in her way. She had been an awesome classroom teacher, counselor, and administrator. She then found herself “teaching” as a hospital chaplain and in the area of social work. However, I think, for her, she was always out to educate—mostly by example. When I knew her, she and Sister Brigid were tutoring a student in need of some learning, but mostly in need of some, “love the students first; then teach them.” She never ended, faded or retired as an educator.
As a high school teacher, I intuitively recognized her wisdom, love, embodiment of sincerely educating with love, mercy, and justice. We were kindred spirits for sure. Our visits were often too brief, but paradoxically filled with overwhelming sense of her educational spirit. In me, she recognized my joy in teaching, my love and passion for seeing students grow and learn. During the time that I knew Eileen, I was also fortunate to have a group of students who recognized my love and joy in teaching them. They honored me with “tagging” the word “awesome” above my name on my classroom door sign. While some may have considered this to be vandalism, Eileen, and I, clearly recognized it for what it was: a genuine show of love and respect. After I showed her the picture of my sign, she then referred to me as “Awesome” always with that soft, sweet Irish smile in her voice and always with sincere reverence and respect. (Notice how she changed that adjective into a noun.) My initial embarrassment and feelings of inadequacy of such a reference eventually gave way to a deep appreciation and gratefulness of the recognition of who I was by an educator I greatly admired, respected, and loved.
Too infrequently, we would drop in for a visit and during those visits she would always inquire about my teaching, students, lessons, passions and joys. She knew that I, too, shared the path of “being” an educator not just doing the work of teaching. She would share anecdotes and wisdom from her real and varied life as an educator. I especially loved the stories about her as a principal. I would love to have been a teacher under her principalship. During those visits, I would soak up her wisdom and experience—pocketing them for those days when I struggled or was fatigued, doubted myself, my style, and skills.
For me, teaching is about taking risks, falling flat, getting up, going at it again. Nailing that lesson. Seeing the lightbulbs go on. Finding glee in the student question that didn’t have an easy answer, and helping that student figure it out. Eileen reminded me to always, always believe in my own teaching skills and talent and in doing what’s best for the student—regardless of the risks, struggles and strains. Education for Eileen, and me, was always about the student in front of us. That is what “Awesome” is. Eileen not only recognized this in herself, but in me too. I was honored to be awash in her Awesomeness.
Martha Brennan
May 7, 2026
Sr. Eileen Rose was a simply wonderful woman and a great teacher. I spent many hours with her and with Brigid Anne when they were in Muncie. I’ve always appreciated the fact that she emphasized English language skills in her teaching. I hated all of the “creative writing ” assignments at the time, but those skills have proved to be tremendously valuable.
The world has lost a wonderful woman