By Beverly Schmitz Glass, PhD

Special to the Register

She has a scooter with a motorcycle-sized "vanity" plate hanging from a front wire basket saying simply "Sr. Bertilla". It doesn’t need a supped-up engine as the driver is still going strong at the robust age of 80 and merely uses this mode of transportation to get from her office in St. Catherine Hospital’s basement to the third and fourth patient floors where she volunteers three days a week as an Eucharistic Minister and patient visitor.

"It’s not that my legs don’t work, they do!" laughed Sister Bertilla. "It’s just that my scooter makes the distance from the basement to the patient floors go much faster and I get to see doctors, employees, visitors, and other volunteers along the way—unless I run over them first!"

Such joy and celebration of life in small, every day things and events are part of Sister Bertilla’s engaging demeanor that has served her well for over 60 years as a Dominican Sister. And her ability to share that joy through her work has become part of her prayer that has buoyed her from her childhood that began in Liebenthal.

Born Germana Brungardt on Dec. 17, 1927, she later attended schools in Holcomb, St. Mary’s in Garden City, and at Pierceville. She, along with her 12 brothers and sisters, worked on the farm until she was 16 when she was moved to leave home and family to discover another life that included struggles, blessings, and a life dedicated to God and prayer. On Sept. 8, 1944, she entered the Dominican Convent at Great Bend. Five months later on Feb. 2, 1945, she received the Dominican medal and six months later on Aug. 13, she received the Habit and chose the name Sister Bertilla.

"Two years later to the day I made my First Profession, but it wasn’t until June 13, 1953 that I took my Final Vows," said Sister Bertilla. "Now here I am in a somewhat embarrassing situation some 60 years later working at St. Catherine’s and surrounded by compassionate and kind people who believe I’m something special. Well, as children of God, we all are!"

A celebration of her life and ministry was held recently at St. Catherine Hospital where around 300 guests gathered for cake, ice cream, sharing stories, and generous Bertilla hugs. Scott Taylor, SCH president and CEO spoke of his admiration of Sister, saying, "It’s an amazing commitment and dedication to her love of Christ. I hope when I have completed 60 years as a healthcare administrator I can look back and say I have done my career with the same love and dedication Sister Bertilla has had with hers."

Garden City Mayor Reynaldo Mesa was on hand to present Sister with a Proclamation declaring Aug. 13, 2007 as Sister Bertilla Brungardt Day. In part, the announcement read, "Sister Bertilla has depicted the selfless mission of St. Catherine Hospital since 1994 by nurturing the healing ministry of the church and by celebrating the fullness of life’s joys and sadness, blessings and struggles."

Before sharing cakes that were decorated with screened black and white photos depicting Sister as a novice and as a young bride of Christ, Chaplain Remi Ekweariri asked those gathered to extend their hands toward the honored guest as he thanked God for the gift of Sister Bertilla and to "bless her with a good life, love, and peace as she continues beside you in her every day life."