By Karen Andrew
The Cincinnati Enquirer

DELHI TOWNSHIP - Sister Magdalena Linnemann served most of her 71 years as a Sister of Charity of Cincinnati in the Dayton and Cincinnati areas.

Most of her service was in the business offices at the Sisters of Charity, where she was known to stay cool and calm in any situation.

"Sister Magdalena was a quiet, pleasant woman who was always very gracious and friendly," said Sister of Charity Helen Cranley. "When I was director of the clinic at the Motherhouse, I could always depend on Sister to drive for me. She would take sisters to the doctors or to the hospital at a moment's notice."

Sister Magdalena died Tuesday at Deaconess Hospital at the age of 93.

Born Mary Magdalena Linnemann in Cincinnati in 1910, she was the first girl from St. Margaret of Cortona parish in Madisonville to enter religious life.

She was a teacher at Holy Name Elementary School in Cleveland from 1938 to 1942 before moving to the Mount St. Joseph Motherhouse, where for 20 years she was responsible for ordering and distributing the sisters' clothing.

In 1962, she transferred to El Pomar Retreat Center and Penrose Hospital in Colorado Springs. She returned to Ohio in 1965 and served at Good Samaritan Hospital in Dayton, Ohio. She was also the religious education director at Dayton's St. Helen Parish from 1973 through 1978.

Sister Magdalena moved to Cincinnati in 1978 to work for Good Samaritan Hospital at the surgical information desk, where she remained through 1984. In 1983, a pastor visiting the hospital wrote a letter to the hospital administrator praising Sister Magdalena's manner.

She had "a soft, friendly, sympathetic voice that inspired trust and confidence," wrote the pastor.

"I had a feeling that if I were an anxious, concerned relative waiting there that I would have been tremendously appreciative and relieved."

She retired to the Motherhouse in Mount St. Joseph in 1984 and moved into Mother Margaret Hall nursing home in 2000.

Sister Magdalena is survived by cousins, including the Rev. Joseph Bruemmer, who celebrated her Mass of Christian burial.

Services have been held.

Memorials: Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati Retirement Fund, 5900 Delhi Road, Mount St. Joseph.

E-mail kandrew@enquirer.com