Sister Florentia Riebel, ASC died the morning of December 1, 2022, at 7:40 after a brief illness. She was 106 years old and lived 88 of her years as a professed Adorer of the Blood of Christ. She was born October 21, 1916, in a sod house near Schoenchen, KS, to Clement and Anna (Dinges) Riebel. Baptized Martina, she was the oldest in a family of five girls and seven boys. Sr. Florentia attended St. Anthony parish school for one year and made her First Communion. After the family moved to Bazine, KS she completed her elementary education at Riverside, a rural public school. Growing up on a farm she helped with the work of plowing, hauling wheat at harvest time, and, eventually, driving a tractor. Sr. Florentia described her parents as, “…people of great faith, and they taught us about family, God and commitment. Their faith inspired you to do something. They were a strong influence on my desire to join a congregation.” Sr. Florentia was acquainted with the Sisters Adorers from summer vacation Bible school. So, at 15, she entered the convent at Wichita, KS on August 24, 1932. She began the novitiate on August 2, 1933, receiving the name Florentia, which in later years was often shortened to “Sister Flo”. She pronounced her first vows on August 6, 1934, and her permanent vows on August 10, 1939. A few months after high school graduation from St John’s Academy in Wichita, Sr. Florentia began nurses’ training in Enid, OK. Ten days after she graduated from St. Mary Hospital School of Nursing in 1941, she was appointed supervisor on the medical and surgical floor. Three years later Sr. Florentia was assigned to the Municipal Hospital in Artesia, NM. Since it was a smaller, rural hospital, she supervised all the nursing units for two years. Soon after returning to St. Mary’s Hospital, Sr. Florentia attended a three-week training in Leetsdale, PA on care of polio patients. Later she enrolled in the Physical Therapy School at the University of Chicago, graduating as a Physical Therapist in 1952. She returned to St. Mary’s Hospital to open the area’s first physical therapy department to treat polio survivors. At one point during the polio epidemics of the late 1940’s and early 50’s, Sr. Florentia actually lived at the hospital with patients, mostly children, because of fear of contagion. In her notes Sr. Florentia tracked that there were 149 polio victims admitted to St Mary’s. She recalled with sadness attending 15 patients as they died. There were stories of patients who died in God’s grace, including one young woman whom she baptized. One very sick toddler she blessed with a relic of Maria De Mattias, who was not even recognized as Blessed at that time. The next morning the child got out of her crib by herself and walked up to Sr. Florentia and another nurse asking for a drink. Sr. Florentia always attributed this astonishing cure to Maria De Mattias. In 1966 Sr. Florentia returned to New Mexico to head the Physical Therapy department at St. Francis Hospital in Carlsbad. Seven years later, Sr. Florentia was back in Enid and continued to serve the community with her healing skills. For over 20 years she supervised University of Oklahoma Students who did their clinical training at St Mary’s. She worked in the Enid Public School System as physical therapist and at Enid Memorial Hospital. She ministered as an Emergency Room nurse and a home health nurse and therapist. In 1996 St Mary’s Hospital held a special celebration for Sr. Florentia’s 80th birthday. Several former patients attended, expressing their gratitude for her help with rehabilitation when they were children. In turn, Sister Florentia was proud that they had done so well in their personal and professional lives, working in law, banking, and civil service. Sr. Florentia officially retired in 1999, but continued to volunteer at St. Mary’s. She also tended the convent garden, bowled on a senior team and maintained her practice of walking two miles a day, one Rosary up to the main highway and one Rosary back to the convent. For nearly 60 years Sr. Florentia ministered, volunteered, and lived in Enid. She said, “I am most grateful to God for the many years I spent in my ministries, where I touched many lives as well as they touched my life in God’s love and graces.” Even after moving to the Wichita Center in 2009, Sr. Florentia continued to enjoy traveling and spending time with her extended family, especially their annual summer Reibel Reunion. Until COVID she was a competitive participant during card games, especially pitch. Preceding Sr. Florentia in death were her parents Clement and Anna; her brothers Norbert, Paul, John, Victor, Melvin and Leon; her sisters, Sr. Leona, ASC, Sr. Barbara, ASC, and Sr. Winifred, ASC, and Arlene Drake. Sr. Florentia is survived by her brother Wilbert (Mary Ann) and sister-in-law Norma (Melvin). Many nieces and nephews into second, third and fourth generations also survive along with members of the Adorers of the Blood of Christ community. Welcoming service for Sr. Florentia will be 2:00 p.m. and Wake Service will be 6:30 p.m. both on Monday December 5, 2022. Mass of Christian Burial will be 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday December 6, 2022 with Fr. Tom Welk as presider and homilist. All services will be held at the Chapel of the Woman of the New Covenant, Adorers of the Blood of Christ, Wichita Center, 1165 Southwest Blvd., Wichita, KS. Interment will follow at the Community Cemetery of the Adorers of the Blood of Christ, Wichita. A memorial fund has been established for the retirement of Sisters, ASC, 1165 Southwest Blvd., Wichita, KS 67213.
Adorers of the Blood of Christ
United States Region
December 1, 2022
Peter then took him by the hand and helped him to stand up.
immediately his feet and ankles became strong;
he jumped up, stood for a moment, then began to walk.
He went with them into the Temple walking, jumping and praising God.
Acts 3:7-8
COMPARTA UN OBITUARIO
v.1.9.5