+Sister Gertrude Greathouse, O.S.B.
April 23, 1927 - June 16, 2011

Sister Gertrude Greathouse, OSB, 84, a Benedictine Sister of Mount St. Scholastica, Atchison, Kans., died June 16, 2011, at the monastery. The vigil service will be in the monastery chapel on Tuesday, June 21, at 7 p.m., and the Mass of Resurrection will be celebrated there on Wednesday, June 22, at 10:30 a.m.

Sister Gertrude was born April 23, 1927, the daughter of Guy Remington and Mary Elizabeth Young Greathouse of Moberly, Mo. The first ten years of her education were in Moberly schools; she graduated from Mount St. Scholastica Academy in 1944. She earned her bachelor's degree in piano, with a minor in English, from Mount St. Scholastica College, Atchison, entered the Mount Benedictine Sisters in 1948, and made monastic profession in 1949. She continued her music study at DePaul University, Chicago, and earned her master’s degree in music education from the University of Missouri-Columbia. Sister Gertrude was classroom teacher and taught music from 1950-1972 in Kansas City, all three of the Catholic elementary schools in Atchison, and elsewhere in Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, and Missouri.

When she returned to the monastery, she became organist and liturgist for the Mount St. Scholastica community. Sister Gertrude composed many of the liturgical melodies used by monastic communities nationwide. She also served as parish organist at St. Benedict's Church in Atchison. She was a member of Sigma Alpha Iota music fraternity, Benedictine Musicians of the Americas, and the National Association of Pastoral Musicians.

Sister Gertrude was preceded in death by her parents and brother Fred (Dorothy). She is survived by the families of niece Linda Stuart and nephew Greg Greathouse, both of Kansas City, and by her monastic family.
Let us remember her gratefully in our prayers.

S. Gertrude's memorial card:

“I will sing and make music to the Lord.”
Ps. 27:5

Sister Gertrude was born in Moberly, Mo., the daughter of Guy Remington and Mary Elizabeth Young Greathouse. After graduating from Loretto Academy and the junior high school in Moberly, she came to Mount St. Scholastica Academy to complete her secondary education. She earned a B.A. in piano from Mount St. Scholastica College and then entered the Mount community in 1948. Making monastic profession in 1949, she celebrated 60 years of vowed life in 2009. She studied music at DePaul University, Chicago, Ill., and earned the master’s degree in music education at the University of Missouri-Columbia. Sister Gertrude taught music in community schools for more than 20 years. She then became organist and community liturgist at the monastery and composed many of the melodies used by Benedictine communities across the country in the Liturgy of the Hours. The love and verve and reverence with which Sister Gertrude composed and shared music was like one playing before God in the world, rejoicing in the beauty of creation. That same joy was evident when she played request numbers at community gatherings with her gifts of hearing pitch, playing by ear, and improvising. She also did fine needlepoint and knitting. Sister Gertrude was a thoughtful, fun-loving friend with a ready laugh. Let us remember her gratefully in our prayer.

Reflection given at the Vigil Service.