Garrigan's Meister to be recognized at Bishop's Dinner

September 22, 2005

ALGONA - Eugene Meister, president of Bishop Garrigan Schools in Algona, will be the first Catholic school administrator to receive the new Called to Service Award. He will be recognized at the upcoming Bishop's Dinner for Catholic Education that will be held Oct. 23 at the Sioux City Convention Center.

According to Kevin Vickery, superintendent of Catholic schools in the diocese, Meister is being recognized because he has shown an extraordinary commitment in the promotion of Catholic schools.

The diocesan administrator, Msgr. Roger Augustine pointed out that Meister was the first lay president of a Catholic school in the Diocese of Sioux City.

"That honor was entrusted to him because of his love and devotion to the promotion of Gospel values in the schools. His long service to students in both the Bancroft and Garrigan systems has been exemplary and the Diocese of Sioux City is proud to honor him with this award," noted Msgr. Augustine.

Dr. Jerry Shey, who had six children graduate from Bishop Garrigan High School and has volunteered at the school for various projects, described Meister as very professional in both appearance and action.

"To me Gene has proven to be a caring, concerned administrator. He is a good ambassador for the Bishop Garrigan family and for the community of Algona," he said.

Father Victor Ramaeker, pastor at St. Michael Parish in Whittemore, knew Meister when he had served at the Bancroft parish back in the 1960s. Now this priest is pastor at one of Garrigan's incorporated parishes.

"Mr. Meister is an outstanding, Catholic layman committed to Catholic school education with enthusiasm that one does not find in many places," he said.

Gib Buscher, who had children graduate from Bishop Garrigan and is a past member of the Friends of Garrigan board, also views Meister as a worthy recipient of the new administrator's award.

"He has a good business head on him - appears to be very good in financial matters," he said. "He works well with people."

Buscher appreciates the fact that Meister is not afraid to ask questions and seek the wisdom of "us older people."

Meister, a native of Burt, Iowa, began his education in the Burt Community Schools and as a sophomore he transferred to St. John's High School in Bancroft. It was there where he first experienced the benefit of a Catholic education and began to consider a career in education. It was also the beginning of a life-long passion for baseball.

After graduating from St. John's, he played baseball for Upper Iowa University in Fayette, Iowa where he graduated in 1969 with a bachelor's degree.

After working for a year as an educator and coach, Meister returned to school at Northwest Missouri State where he earned a master's degree. He then accepted a position with Immaculate Conception Parish in Cherokee as director of religious education and continued his education through the University of Missouri earning his education specialist degree.

He then served as principal at Grand Community Schools in Boxholm.

In the early 1980s Meister and his family returned to the family farm and Meister served as principal at Bancroft St. John's. He joined Bishop Garrigan Schools staff as the business manager in 1987. In 1992, Father Gerald Feierfeil became the president of Bishop Garrigan System and Meister was named the principal of Bishop Garrigan High School.

Upon the new assignment of Father Feierfeil in 1996, Meister was named president of Bishop Garrigan Schools, making him the first lay person to hold that position in any Catholic school in the Sioux City Diocese.

Gene is a member of the Iowa High School Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame.

He is also a former member of the Iowa Board of Nursing and the Sioux City Diocesan School Board, and a current member of the Diocesan Lay Benefits Committee.

In 2001 he was recognized at the National Catholic Education Association Convention where he was presented with the NCEA Secondary Schools Department Award. As a coach Gene has won two state baseball championships and 8 state baseball championship appearances.

Catholic education has been a significant component in creating the proper balance of faith, family, and self-fulfillment, for Gene Meister and his family; which includes his wife, Mary Ann; sons Bradley (deceased 2002), and his former wife, Sarah Hayes; Robert and his wife, Wendi, who have blessed Gene and Mary Ann with four grandchildren; and Mark and his special friend Jenni Erpelding. The Meister families are actively involved as members of St. Cecelia's Catholic Church in Algona.

Looking back on his career in Catholic education Gene says, "Catholic Schools are so unique and privileged to be able to educate the whole student. We believe very strongly in academic and activity excellence, but most importantly in their Catholic faith life. It has always been very comforting to me to know that we can use the gospel message to celebrate our lives and also to guide us through our greatest challenges. To paraphrase Sister Marge Feldner, 'We must be distinctively Catholic or we have no reason or cause to exist.'"