Sister Henrika Gerdes – In memoriam
Born: April 18, 1934 Died: January 23, 2023
FUNERAL: Monday, January 30, at 10.30 Klostergården nursing home
Sr. Henrika died peacefully in the early morning of January 23 at her place of residence at the Klostergården nursing home in Copenhagen, surrounded by people who cared about her, both nursing home staff and fellow Sisters. As one of her fellow Sisters put it, we remember Sr. Henrika as a “reserved and lovely person” and we are very grateful for Sr. Henrika and the gift she has been to us. We firmly believe that Sr. Henrika is happy in God’s loving presence.
Sr. Henrika was born in Germany and came to Denmark as a 21-year-old young woman to join the Order of the Sisters of St. Joseph on Strandvejen. After her novitiate in the religious community, she took her first vows on August 15, 1957. Then she moved to the school of the Sisters of St. Joseph on Østerbro. From there she was sent to Iceland in 1964 and arrived in Hafnarfjörður on July 26. For more than 30 years, Sr. Henrika was an important part of the mission of the Sisters of St. Joseph in Iceland. In 2001, the Sisters’ stay in Iceland came to an end and then they moved back to Strandvejen. Sr. Henrika was passionate about the Sisters’ projects in the Nordic countries. Sr. Henrika had finished her kindergarten teacher education in 1964 and was therefore well prepared for the job at the Sisters’ kindergarten in Hafnarfjörður. Later, Sr. Henrika moved to Reykjavík, where she lived in a small community with three Sisters.
Sr. Henrika was very fond of Icelandic nature and had many good friends in Iceland. One of Sr. Henrika’s main interests was the liturgy and everything related to it. That’s why she became a sacristan in Iceland and assumed that role after she returned to Denmark.
It was obvious that Sr. Henrika missed Iceland until her death. Stories from Iceland were a regular part of conversations with her and she kept in touch with her friends “up there” and she will be greatly missed by them. Upon the death of Sr. Henrika “the last living witness” of the mission of the Sisters of St. Joseph in Iceland has passed.
Sr. Henrika was very faithful to St. Joseph, the patron saint of the congregation, and was very fond of a quiet prayer and meditating on God’s word.
Sr. Henrika not only lived a long life, but also lived many years as a nun. On August 15, 2022, she celebrated her 65th birthday as a religious Sister.
Rest in peace Sister Henrika.
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(This article about Sister Henrika appears on the website of the Sisters of St. Joseph in Denmark: http://www.sanktjosephsoestrene.dk/…/sr-henrika-gerdes…/)
