As part of Catholic Schools Week, Karen Gentges, a 1982 graduate of St. Joseph - Westphalia - was honored Sunday with the 2021 National Catholic Education Association (NCEA) Distinguished Graduate Award.
Principal Pat Kirk said the 1986 Fatima graduate gives of her energy and time to education as working in the Parents as Teacher Program for Fatima School District.
Gentges for many years was responsible for the religious education of the students attending PSR classes at St. Joseph as the director of PSR and the high school PSR programs.
For years, even though she did not have any children attending St. Joseph School, she gave of her time in driving art students to various schools for Sketch Days. She has also worked many parish picnics and fall festivals. For the past several years, she has been a substitute teacher for St. Joseph School in all areas of academics.
“Karen continues to live out her Catholic faith by showing all of us what it means to be a disciple of Christ giving of herself in service to others,” said Kirk.
Karen grew up on a farm in Westphalia and was the daughter of Jim and Dorothy Fennewald. She has two sisters and five brothers. She and her husband, Kurt, have four grandchildren, including two that are attending their grandmother’s alma mater elementary school, St. Joseph. Jace and Livia are both in first grade.
The NCEA Distinguished Graduate Award honors graduates of Catholic schools who have made a contribution to American life and /or the Catholic church.