Jovita Winkel

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Sister Jovita Winkel, CSA, formerly Sister Eugene, died peacefully December 29, 2025, at SSM Health St. Agnes Hospital, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

Jovita was born March 1, 1934, in Marytown, Wisconsin, the oldest child of Arnold and Alma Casper Winkel. She grew up on the family farm with her brother and two sisters enjoying the beauty of nature and appreciating the connection between faith, church, and life that their parents instilled in them. Jovita graduated from St. Mary’s Grade School, Marytown, and attended high school at St. Mary’s Springs Academy, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. Because there was no bus service between Marytown and the Springs, Jovita boarded with families in Fond du Lac helping to care for their children. All her life, she treasured her relationship with these families. After high school graduation, Jovita was employed by a local dentist. During this time, she began seriously discerning her life call. A retreat experience led her to make the decision to become a woman religious. She entered St. Agnes Convent January 20, 1956. She made her first profession of vows in the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes as Sister Eugene on August 15, 1958, in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

Sister Jovita earned her BS in Elementary Education from Marian College, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, and an MS in Elementary Education from the University of St. Francis, Fort Wayne, Indiana. Along with these educational degrees, Sister continually enriched her skills as an educational leader and pastoral minister by participating in numerous workshops, seminars, and conferences throughout her years in active ministry. She spent her life serving as a teacher, principal, Director of Religious Education and Pastoral Minister earning distinguished honors for her achievements and her commitment. She was an active member of many boards and committees for the dioceses of Green Bay, Superior and Madison.

Her life in ministry began as an elementary teacher at St. Mary’s School, Fond du Lac, at St. Mary Help of Christians School, West Allis, Wisconsin, and at St. Mary’s School, Crown Point, Indiana. She then devoted many years serving in rural schools and parishes in Wisconsin beginning as a teacher, principal, and Director of Religious Education at SS. Peter and Paul School, Hortonville, and at Most Precious Blood School, New London. Following seven years of service to her CSA community as an Apostolic Councilor (1975-1982), Sister returned to parish ministry as the DRE for St. John-Sacred Heart Parish, St. John, Wisconsin. She was principal at St. Mary’s School in Stockbridge, Wisconsin (1986-1989). Once again called to leadership for her religious community, she served as a member of the CSA General Council (1989-1993). Upon completion of her leadership term, Sister Jovita spent fourteen years as a beloved DRE, Pastoral Associate and Parish Director in Northern Wisconsin for the combined parishes of Our Lady of Sorrows, Ladysmith; St. Anthony, Tony; and St. Mary, Hawkins. She served her final years in active ministry as the Pastoral Minister at St. Mary Help of Christians Parish in Briggsville, Wisconsin, beginning in 2007 until her move to Nazareth Court & Center, the CSA retirement center, Fond du Lac, in August 2021.

Sister Jovita will be remembered for her keen knowledge of local history and awareness of those related to her through family and friendships, for her love of the people she served, and for the way she stayed connected with them over the years. She always had a story to tell or a memory to share.

Sister Jovita was preceded in death by her parents, her brother Peter, and her brother-in-law Roger Heus.  

Sister is survived by her sisters Audry Heus and Sister Marilyn Winkel, CSA, her sister-in-law Lorraine Winkel, her nieces and nephews and their families, and by the Sisters of St. Agnes, with whom she lived, prayed, and ministered.

Services for Sister Jovita will be held on Friday, January 9, 2026.

Visitation will be held from 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. and 12:00 – 1:30 p.m. at Nazareth Court and Center, 375 Gillett Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

A Prayer Service will be held at 11:00 a.m. in Nazareth Center Chapel, 375 Gillett Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

The Liturgy of Christian Burial will be at 2:00 p.m. at St. Francis Home Chapel, 33 Everett Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, with Fr. Dennis Ryan presiding.

Burial will follow at St. Joseph Springs Cemetery, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

Memorials may be directed to the CSA Mission Advancement Office, 320 County Road K, Fond du Lac, WI 54937.

The Sisters of St. Agnes and the Winkel family are grateful to the nurses and staff of Nazareth Court and Center and SSM Health St. Agnes Hospital ER, ICU, and 6th Floor South for their care of Sister Jovita.

Zacherl Funeral Home is serving the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes.