Known as "The Nun in the basement", Sister Janina went missing from the Holy Rosary Catholic Church on August 23, 1907. Many searches took place, but with no luck. 11 years later her remains were found buried in the basement of the church. Ultimately, her murder is officially unsolved. A thorough article on the case, trial, and suspects can be found here: https://mynorth.com/2001/03/traverse-classics-isadores-secret-of-the-missing-sister/∼Sister Mary Janina (Josephine) Mezek, CSSF (a Felician Sister of the Livonia, Michigan, Province) was the victim of a brutal murder in the small community of Isadore, Michigan in 1907.
Born Josephine Mezek, Sister Janina was orphaned at the age of nine and was raised by the Felician Sisters of Livonia, Michigan. She later entered the Felician community and was given the religious name "Janina".
According to trial records, her alleged murderer, Stanislawa Lipczynska, originally buried the nun in a shallow grave in the basement of the Holy Rosary Church in Isadore, Michigan. When the original clapboard church was to be torn down and a new brick church built, Sister Janina's body was dug up by a priest, Father Podlaszewski in 1918, when his brother priests warned him that the nun's body was buried in the Church's basement. Father Podlaszewski buried Sister Janina's remains in the Parish Cemetery.
Before Lipczynska's trial in 1919, the bones were once again disinterred and used during the proceedings.
Lipczynska was convicted to life imprisonment, but was released after seven years.
Sister Janina's remains have gone missing since the trial and no memorial exists for her -- not even a headstone. The archives of the Felician Sisters' Motherhouse in Michigan simply lists Sister Janina as "missing".
This findagrave memorial is a small way of honoring this poor Sister and giving her some closure.
Rest in peace, dear Sister Janina.
Requiescat in pace.
From another contributor: Parents Jan & Jophine Mezek, along with siblings Frank & Emil. Her Mother Josephine Mezek was committed May 18, 1883 to Illinois Eastern Hospital for the Insane in Kankakee IL at age 47
Born Josephine Mezek, Sister Janina was orphaned at the age of nine and was raised by the Felician Sisters of Livonia, Michigan. She later entered the Felician community and was given the religious name "Janina".
According to trial records, her alleged murderer, Stanislawa Lipczynska, originally buried the nun in a shallow grave in the basement of the Holy Rosary Church in Isadore, Michigan. When the original clapboard church was to be torn down and a new brick church built, Sister Janina's body was dug up by a priest, Father Podlaszewski in 1918, when his brother priests warned him that the nun's body was buried in the Church's basement. Father Podlaszewski buried Sister Janina's remains in the Parish Cemetery.
Before Lipczynska's trial in 1919, the bones were once again disinterred and used during the proceedings.
Lipczynska was convicted to life imprisonment, but was released after seven years.
Sister Janina's remains have gone missing since the trial and no memorial exists for her -- not even a headstone. The archives of the Felician Sisters' Motherhouse in Michigan simply lists Sister Janina as "missing".
This findagrave memorial is a small way of honoring this poor Sister and giving her some closure.
Rest in peace, dear Sister Janina.
Requiescat in pace.
From another contributor: Parents Jan & Jophine Mezek, along with siblings Frank & Emil. Her Mother Josephine Mezek was committed May 18, 1883 to Illinois Eastern Hospital for the Insane in Kankakee IL at age 47
Known as "The Nun in the basement", Sister Janina went missing from the Holy Rosary Catholic Church on August 23, 1907. Many searches took place, but with no luck. 11 years later her remains were found buried in the basement of the church. Ultimately, her murder is officially unsolved. A thorough article on the case, trial, and suspects can be found here: https://mynorth.com/2001/03/traverse-classics-isadores-secret-of-the-missing-sister/∼Sister Mary Janina (Josephine) Mezek, CSSF (a Felician Sister of the Livonia, Michigan, Province) was the victim of a brutal murder in the small community of Isadore, Michigan in 1907.
Born Josephine Mezek, Sister Janina was orphaned at the age of nine and was raised by the Felician Sisters of Livonia, Michigan. She later entered the Felician community and was given the religious name "Janina".
According to trial records, her alleged murderer, Stanislawa Lipczynska, originally buried the nun in a shallow grave in the basement of the Holy Rosary Church in Isadore, Michigan. When the original clapboard church was to be torn down and a new brick church built, Sister Janina's body was dug up by a priest, Father Podlaszewski in 1918, when his brother priests warned him that the nun's body was buried in the Church's basement. Father Podlaszewski buried Sister Janina's remains in the Parish Cemetery.
Before Lipczynska's trial in 1919, the bones were once again disinterred and used during the proceedings.
Lipczynska was convicted to life imprisonment, but was released after seven years.
Sister Janina's remains have gone missing since the trial and no memorial exists for her -- not even a headstone. The archives of the Felician Sisters' Motherhouse in Michigan simply lists Sister Janina as "missing".
This findagrave memorial is a small way of honoring this poor Sister and giving her some closure.
Rest in peace, dear Sister Janina.
Requiescat in pace.
From another contributor: Parents Jan & Jophine Mezek, along with siblings Frank & Emil. Her Mother Josephine Mezek was committed May 18, 1883 to Illinois Eastern Hospital for the Insane in Kankakee IL at age 47
Born Josephine Mezek, Sister Janina was orphaned at the age of nine and was raised by the Felician Sisters of Livonia, Michigan. She later entered the Felician community and was given the religious name "Janina".
According to trial records, her alleged murderer, Stanislawa Lipczynska, originally buried the nun in a shallow grave in the basement of the Holy Rosary Church in Isadore, Michigan. When the original clapboard church was to be torn down and a new brick church built, Sister Janina's body was dug up by a priest, Father Podlaszewski in 1918, when his brother priests warned him that the nun's body was buried in the Church's basement. Father Podlaszewski buried Sister Janina's remains in the Parish Cemetery.
Before Lipczynska's trial in 1919, the bones were once again disinterred and used during the proceedings.
Lipczynska was convicted to life imprisonment, but was released after seven years.
Sister Janina's remains have gone missing since the trial and no memorial exists for her -- not even a headstone. The archives of the Felician Sisters' Motherhouse in Michigan simply lists Sister Janina as "missing".
This findagrave memorial is a small way of honoring this poor Sister and giving her some closure.
Rest in peace, dear Sister Janina.
Requiescat in pace.
From another contributor: Parents Jan & Jophine Mezek, along with siblings Frank & Emil. Her Mother Josephine Mezek was committed May 18, 1883 to Illinois Eastern Hospital for the Insane in Kankakee IL at age 47
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