Brother Laurence Hoevel, O.C.S.O.

Brother Laurence Hoevel died peacefully shortly after midnight on December 21, 2007. Brother Laurence entered Trappist monastic life in 1948 at Gethsemani Abbey in Kentucky and was one of the founding brothers who came to Mepkin on November 14,1949. Through the years Brother Laurence has lived his life firmly rooted in the way of prayer and quiet that is the foundation of a monk's vocation. Always ready to be of service to his brothers in the community, they will tell you that he was one of the hardest working men to have entered Mepkin. Giving his varied talents to work with our buildings and maintenance program, he could be seen on our farm working on the chicken houses and in whatever area he saw that needed attention. Many remember him on the backhoe which was his machinery of choice in the afternoons until an accident limited his capacity for physical work three years ago. Our neighbors will attest that he was a quiet and effective presence to the senior people of the local black community, a much beloved figure helping people remodel their homes, assisting them to install plumbing facilities or helping them add screening to a porch. He was well known for making pastoral visits to the sick, often bringing eggs to families along the way.

In addition to the monks of Mepkin, Brother Laurence has two surviving sisters: Mary Ellen Drake of Spencerville, Indiana and Joan Kleber of Fort Worth, Indiana as well as an insurmountable number of nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews.

Arrangements have been made for a Mass of the Resurrection at the monastery church on Saturday, December 22 at 2 PM. Interment will follow in the monastery cemetery. Friends and neighbors are welcome to join the brothers for the mass and burial.