Sister Mary Lin Koesler, CDP
September 11,1930 – April 20, 2020
Sister Mary Lin Koesler, CDP entered eternal life on April 20,202O at 89 years of age. Born in Lindsay, Texas on September 11,1930, Elfrieda Gertrude was the eighth child of Alfons A. and Mary A. Fuhrmann Koesler. She attended St. Peter’s school in Lindsay with the Congregation of Divine Providence and Sacred Heart High School in Muenster, Texas with the Olivetine Benedictine Sisters before entering Our Lady of the Lake Convent in 1948. She received the name of Sister Mary Lin when she entered the novitiate. She professed her first vows as a Sister of Divine Providence on June 22, 1951.
She always wanted to be a nurse and take care of the sick. Her very first ministry was at Our Lady of the Lake College infirmary taking care of students while she studied biology. Then she moved to the infirmary at St. Joseph Hall at Our Lady of the Lake Convent taking care of the sisters there.
After she graduated from Our Lady of the Lake College with a Bachelor of Arts in Biology, she completed her Bachelor of Science in Nursing and Registered Nurse licensure from Santa Rosa School of Nursing, San Antonio in 1962. She worked as a nurse for forty plus years. Her ministry included: Madonna Hospital, Dennison Texas; St Ann’s Hospital, Abilene Texas; and Wilson Memorial Hospital in Floresville, Texas.
In 1991 Sister Mary Lin was presented with the Excellence in Community Hospital Nursing award by the Wilson Memorial Hospital for her dedicated nursing service in the community for 19 years.
Apart from her nursing work she sometimes helped out as a chaplain and often took communion to the sick on Sundays. She remained grateful to Sister Irene Ceasar who sent her to the New Horizons month long program at St. Charles College, Baltimore, Maryland.
She is preceded in death by her parents, Alfons A. and Mary A. Fuhrmann Koesler, her brothers Anton Max “Tony” (Evelyn), Norbert (Elizabeth), Rev. Father Leo Joseph, OSB, and Alfons Nickolas Koesler; her sisters Theresa Hermes (Tony), Sister Corrine Koesler, CDP, and Miriam Caplinger (JB). She is survived by her sister-in-law Mary Ann Koesler, numerous nieces and nephews, as well great nieces and nephews, and all her Sisters of Divine Providence.
Due to the current circumstances surrounding COVID-19, a rosary followed by sharing of memories, and her burial will take place privately. A Memorial Mass will take place at a later date when her whole community can gather to celebrate her life.
In lieu of flowers, a memorial contribution may be made to the Sisters of Divine Providence 515 S.W. 24th Street, San Antonio, Texas 78207-4619.
Obituary (pdf)