by Cori Hilsgen
news@thenewsleaders.com
New stained-glass windows that were recently installed in the interior front doors of the Church of St. Joseph Parish Center offer both beauty and glimpses of the history of the church.
According to the parish business manager, Sandra Scholz, the windows were originally removed from the church when major renovation of the church was done in the early 1970s.
Scholz referenced Sister Owen Lindblad’s (from St. Benedict’s Monastery) book about the parish, Rooted in Christ the Living Stone, written in 2006, in which she says, “Leaded, stained-glass windows (with storm glass) were installed in the church in 1909 for $77.50 each, donated by individual families.”
Scholz said the stained-glass windows were previously situated on both sides of the main altar, but were taken out when that part of the church was remodeled with a more open floor plan.
She said she believes some of the glass from those windows was removed and used to repair the windows in the church that were damaged in a major storm that occurred around 1988.
The windows were stored in the church basement until about 2002. They were moved to the attic of the church rectory after parish custodian, Andy Loso, discovered the windows buried under other items in the church basement and felt they should be stored in a better place.
Area resident Nick Studer took an interest in the windows when his parents, Darol and Ellie Studer, wanted to preserve them. When the new parish center was built, they felt the windows should be restored and put in the new parish center. Both parents were very active with the St. Joseph Historical Society.
Studer believes the windows had been in storage since about 1971 and originally must have cost around $60-$70.
He said the top and bottom of one of the windows had been removed, and the other was in its original form.
Studer, who works as a craftsman at Terhaar Stained Glass in Cold Spring, got authorization from one of his supervisors, Gary Terhaar, to work on the windows outside of work hours, so the project would not be a conflict of interest for him at work. Terhaar Stained Glass has done work for the church in the past.
Studer did all of the restoration work at his home and donated all of his time. He said it took between six weeks and two months for him to complete the restoration.
His two brothers, Tony Studer and Chris Studer, and a neighbor, Art Brinker, helped him install the windows before the annual July 4 parish festival. It took about four hours to install the two windows – one of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the other the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
“Mom is the main reason I did the windows,” Studer said. “I also did it for the church, but mostly for mom. Dad died two years ago and never got to see them, but I did this for mom.”
The historic, restored windows can now be seen by all who enter through the parish center doors.
Nick Studer works on the stained glass windows during installation at the Church of St. Joseph parish center.
Installation of the stained glass windows took about four hours. The installers included (left to right) Chris Studer, Nick Studer, Art Brinker and Tony Studer.
Nick Studer cleans and reassembles the stained glass windows with new lead came (spoiled lead).
Nick Studer cleans and reassembles the stained glass windows with new lead came (spoiled lead).
Nick Studer cleans and reassembles the stained glass windows with new lead came (spoiled lead).
The Immaculate Heart of Mary (left) and Sacred Heart of Jesus (right) stained glass windows were restored by Nick Studer and installed in the Church of St. Joseph parish center before the annual July 4 parish festival. The windows reflect the history of the church.
Nick Studer (back) views the newly installed stained glass windows with his mother, Ellie Studer.
