A Mass of Christian Burial for Sister Elaine Wheeler, D.C., was celebrated Jan. 24, 2013, at the DePaul House Chapel in Albany, N.Y. Burial followed at St. Agnes Cemetery in Menands, N.Y.
Sister Elaine died Jan. 18, 2013, at 96 years of age at St. Louise House in Albany. In 2012, she celebrated 77 years of vocation as a Daughter of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul.
Sister Elaine (Anne Lenore) was a twin, born in New York City in 1916. Her parents, Nina Barr and Ferdinand C. Wheeler, enjoyed their seven daughters, four of whom became Daughters of Charity including her identical twin; one a Religious of the Sacred Heart; and two married sisters.
Sister entered the Daughters of Charity in 1935 and enjoyed teaching for 42 years, 24 of which were spent in Albany and Troy, N.Y. Her innovated methods for teaching biology were well-known to the staff and students of Cardinal McCloskey High School in Albany, where Sister Elaine taught from the opening of the school in 1957 to 1978 with a three-year sojourn to St. Mark’s High School in Wilmington, Del. Sister loved teaching and visiting the homes of her students.
In 1979, Sister was invited to work in the archives for six months. Instead of six months, she spent more than 26 years organizing the history of the Northeast Province of the Daughters of Charity. Sister Elaine learned the work of an archivist with the same enthusiasm she used in teaching. She assisted four other provinces in the U.S. as well as England, Ireland and Australia to set up their archives. She was invited to many communities to establish their archives and taught many Sisters from all communities how to be archivists.
She came to St. Louise House Dec. 30, 2005, and continued her archival work. She was noted for her energy both in walking and getting around in a wheelchair. Her later years found her with a book in her hands. An avid reader, she was making up for the days she had no time to read. When the Daughters wore full habits, Sister Elaine and her sister, Sister Madeleine, loved to switch places and cause confusion.
Sister Elaine is predeceased by her parents and six sisters: Sister Mary Cecilia, a Religious of the Sacred Heart; Nina Wheeler Blake; Hilda Barr Dixon; Sister Jean Marie, Sister Madeleine and Sister Zoe, all of whom were Daughters of Charity.
Sister Elaine is survived by her two nephews, Phillip (PO) Karczewski of Tacoma, Wash.; and Wheeler Dixon of Lincoln, Neb.