Deaconess Änne Hauptmeier turns 100

"To get over my pain, my aunt, who was also a deaconess at Bethel, advised me to become a Sarepta sister," says Änne Hauptmeier. She found support and new courage to face life in the diaconal community. "My training and work as a nurse distracted me." A new life had begun for her. Änni Hauptmeier's professional life was varied: as a nurse, she worked in different areas, for example in the children's hospital, on the neurological ward and in psychiatry. She particularly remembers the respectful cooperation between doctors and nurses.

When her parents became ill and in need of care, the deaconess had herself transferred to her home country. During this time, she worked as a Sarepta nurse at Wittekindshof in Bad Oeynhausen, caring for people with disabilities. After work, she looked after her family. It was only five years later, after the death of her parents, that she returned to Bielefeld. In her free time, Änne Hauptmeier loved travelling - whether it was to France, Switzerland, Denmark or Holland. "I saw a lot and collected wonderful memories."

Her close connection to her community is visible in her blue sister's uniform, which she never takes off, even after work. "The only thing I don't wear anymore is the bonnet, but only because I can't do it on my own," explains the soon-to-be 100-year-old deaconess. As styling her hair also became more difficult, she had her hair cut. "I always had long hair, it was very difficult for me," she says wistfully. As she got older, her hearing and eyesight deteriorated. "I used to enjoy painting a lot, but I can't do that any more. But I can still knit blind," she explains.