Kathleen Jeannette (Pantenburg) Pantenburg
Burial Details
Obituaries
Grand Junction Daily Sentinel page 7B Obituary - July 20, 2016
Sister Michel
Pantenburg
October 6, 1926 - June 15, 2016
The Sisters of Charity of
Leavenworth mourn the loss
of Sister Michel Pantenburg,
89, who died on Wednesday,
June 15, 2016, at Ross Hall,
Mother House, Leavenworth,
KS.
Kathleen Jeannette
Pantenburg was born on
October 6, 1926, in Denver, CO, one of five children of Arthur
Robert and Alice McKenna Pantenburg. She attended St.
Patrick’s Grade School and McCook Senior High School,
McCook, NE. She entered the religious community of the
Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth on August 14, 1945 and, as
Sister Michel, made her profession of vows on August 15, 1947.
Sister received a BS in Nursing Education from Saint Mary
College, Leavenworth, KS and a MSNA from Catholic
University, Washington, D.C.
Sister spent much of her life in the healthcare ministry, where
she was always drawn to manifest God’s healing love. She
began her nursing career at Providence Hospital, Kansas City,
KS, and moved on to other hospitals, serving many years as
President and CEO in both St. Mary’s Hospital, Grand Junction,
CO and St. Vincent Hospital, Billings, MT. She had a special
concern for the poor and medically uninsured and was tireless in
her creativity and philanthropic work in establishing programs
to benefit those most vulnerable in society.
Sister Michel held many offices including; President of
Montana Hospital Association, Secretary of the National
Catholic Hospital Association, a delegate to the American
Hospital Association, and Director of the Providence School of
Nursing, Kansas City, KS. The World Health Organization
awarded her a five-week travel fellowship in Sweden to study
their healthcare delivery system. Among countless awards, she
was recognized as "Woman of the Year" by the Business
Professional Women of Billings and was honored for her work
in the care of children suffering from severe burns. She also
paved the way for Michel’s House in Billings, MT, a residential
setting for drug-addicted women with dependent children. She
was the Director of the Focus on Leadership Program at
Gonzaga University, Spokane, WA and later traveled to
Indonesia and New Zealand to give retreats. Sister returned to
Pastoral Care at St. Mary’s Hospital, Grand Junction, CO. She
enjoyed exploring ways to help people come to wholeness in
body, mind and spirit. Both staff and patients knew her gift of
massage and the healing power of her touch. She retired to the
Mother House of the Sisters of Charity in 2014.
She was preceded in death by her parents and four sisters.
Survivors include nieces, nephews, friends and her SCL
Community.
A vigil will be held at 7:00 p.m., on Thursday, July 21, 2016,
in Ross Chapel of the Sisters of Charity Mother House in
Leavenworth where friends may call after 4:00 p.m. The Mass
of Christian Burial will be celebrated in Ross Chapel at 10:30
a.m. on Friday, July 22, 2016. Interment will follow in Mount
Olivet Cemetery on the Mother House grounds.
Davis Funeral Chapel is in charge of arrangements. Memorial
contributions may be made to the Sisters of Charity of
Leavenworth Retirement Fund, 4200 S. 4th St., Leavenworth,
KS 66048.
