Sister Margaret Grueter, OP, was born in Carrollton, Ill., one of nine children born to Herman and Marie Grueter, and joined the Dominican Sisters after her graduation from St. John’s High School, Carrollton, a parish school run by the Dominican Sisters of Springfield. She made her profession on January 3, 1949, and began teaching first grade at St. Edward School, Chicago, Ill., in January that year, remaining through 1950. Until 1974 she taught primary grades: Sacred Heart, Pana, Ill., 1950-1957; St. Mary Mt. Sterling, Ill., 1957-1965; and Holy Rosary, Duluth, Minn., 1965-1974.
She was principal of St. Dominic School, Quincy, Ill., 1974-1980, then returned to the classroom at St. Walter School, Chicago, 1980-1988; and then Sacred Heart School, San Diego, Calif., 1988-1989, when our sisters withdrew from ministry at that parish.
Returning to Illinois, she taught first grade at St. James School, Sauk Village, 1989-1993, then after a year’s sabbatical, began her ministry as pastoral visitor at St. Catherine’s Village, a continuum of care facility once sponsored by the Springfield Dominicans in Madison, Miss. Sister Margaret was a welcome presence at St. Catherine’s 1994-2015, at which time she returned to Sacred Heart Convent, Springfield, where she has resided since.
In addition to her teaching responsibilities, over the years Sister Margaret was involved with the Cursillo spiritual retreat ministry in Quincy, Ill., and helped to create QUEST, a youth program for the teens of the area. Wherever she taught in a parochial school, she also taught religious education for the public-school students, and in Chicago and Duluth took responsibility for the parents’ sacramental preparation groups. “It’s been a wonderful life,” she said. And, well into her 9th decade, she adds “It still is.”
Miracle on the Lake
It is a joy to celebrate with Sister Margaret and her classmates, Sister Norma Somers and Sister Gabriella Luebbers, their 75th anniversary of profession, but it could have turned out differently for Sister Margaret. In 1972, during her time in Duluth, she was one of four sisters caught in peril on White Iron Lake near Ely in the Boundary Waters of northern Minnesota. Ten sisters missioned at Holy Rosary and St. Michael’s schools in Duluth embarked for an overnight holiday to an island lake home owned by a friend. They were ferried to the island getaway on Friday evening and left to enjoy themselves until the following afternoon, Saturday, October 7, the Feast of the Holy Rosary, when a boat returned for them. Four of the sisters embarked on the boat for the brief return trip to the mainland, while the other six waited on the island. Soon the waves overwhelmed and capsized the boat, and the sisters and the boat operator were in grave danger in the cold waters. Everyone survived the accident. Sister Margaret is the only survivor of the accident now living. A second jubilarian, Sister Marie Michelle Hackett, who is celebrating her 60th jubilee this year, and Sister Judith Curran are the only ones among the five sisters waiting on the island who are still living.
