The Messenger - August 2017 - 2

THE MESENGER

AUGUST 2017
She did similar work in Denmark and Germany, as
well. She had a studio at the convent in Holland for
25 years, receiving commissions from all over the
world.

Continued from page 1
Bob brought his wisdom to the Staff Parish team,
occasionally preached, and was a highly valued
source of guidance to Grandview's pastors. Ruth
remains a member of choir, serves on Church
Council, and leads the Searchers Sunday School
class for adults.

In 1966, she was sent to the Precious Blood
convent in Shillington, PA, where she had a studio
for another 25 years, working in media including
textiles, copper, stained glass, and wood. Her
works are in various Catholic and Lutheran
churches in the Reading area, and she designed and
made all the ordination stoles for the Eastern PA
Conference of the United Methodist Church during
the 1980s. She died in 1994, at the age of 74.

The artist who created the piece also has an
interesting story. According to Berks County Women
in History: Profiles, Vol. 1, Sister Mary Hadwig,
C.P.S., was born Ida Anna Münz in Holzlar,
Germany. At the age of 15, she entered the
novitiate of the Missionary Sisters of the Precious
Blood at their motherhouse in Holland. Her artistic
gifts were already known to the superior general of
the order, who immediately sent her to study art.

After Ruth determined that her children did not
wish to keep claim to the piece, she offered it to
Grandview.
Jeremy Graeff, who formerly worked in stained
glass restoration, and two members who collect art,
Donnie Branstetter and Joan Hawkins, along with
Pastor Andrea made up the team that evaluated the
potential gift's artistic merit and its appropriateness
for Grandview, including deciding where to hang
it. They made a recommendation to Finance Team
to accept it. Ruth signed a letter of agreement with
the Finance chair. Jeremy agreed to reframe the
painting, and Ruth covered the cost of the frame.
Like all works of art, this piece will not be hung
permanently but will be enjoyed for a season. Our
no-strings-attached gift policy says that it may be
kept in storage, given away, or resold by the church
at any future time. But we expect to enjoy this
thought-provoking work of art for a good long
while. Thank you, Ruth and Bob.

Sister Hadwig next to her art in the Albright
Chapel at Albright College, Reading, PA.

When World War II broke out, Sister Hadwig's
studies were interrupted, and she worked as a
housekeeper and protector of elderly nuns, whom
she helped to guide to safety during air raids. One
of her brothers, who was also a member of a
religious order, died in the Buchenwald
concentration camp after he and other members of
his order refused to join the German army.
Her art studies resumed after the war at the Work
Schule in Cologne, and she was the designer for the
group of nuns at the motherhouse that made
religious vestments and banners.

Ruth Daugherty
next to the stained
glass mosaic in the
Library.
2
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The Messenger - August 2017
