Brother Joseph {Lawrence} Niichel, O.S.B., monk of St. Gregory's Abbey, entered eternal life September 1, 2011, strengthened by the sacraments of the Church and the prayerful presence of members of his monastic community, family and friends. He was 71 years of age and in the 49th year of his monastic profession.

Brother Joseph was born in Ashton, Iowa, on June 30, 1940, to Joseph and Hilda {Seivert} Niichel. He was the second of four sons.

Brother Joseph entered the novitiate to become a Brother of St. Gregory's Abbey in 1961. He made his first profession of vows on June 24, 1962, and professed perpetual vows on June 24, 1965.

Brother Joseph dedicated his life as a monastic Brother to prayer and to providing support services and manual labor at St. Gregory's Abbey and its educational ministry through St. Gregory's High School, college and university. For several years, Brother Joseph maintained the campus swimming pool and enjoyed working at basketball games and driving the team bus. He also served on the housekeeping staff at St. Gregory's.

Of particular interest to him was his work on behalf of children and adults with physical disabilities and developmental delays. He worked for ten years at the Early Child Development Center at St. Gregory's, drove busloads of athletes to Special Olympics competitions, assisted with summer camps and served as a volunteer at Faith 7 School and Activities Center in Shawnee.

One of his long-term work assignments was to the monastery farm in the management of the abbey cattle operation. He was a stalwart worker during the annual monastery hay harvest and kept an accurate account of the thousands of bales he stacked each year. Throughout his monastic life, Brother Joseph had a special devotion to the celebration of the Mass and frequent reception of Communion.

Increasing physical limitations led to his retirement from active work. Even with daily pain and various chronic illnesses, Brother Joseph maintained his particular sense of humor, his keen observation of activities around the monastery and campus, and his enjoyment of the company of friends.

Brother Joseph was preceded in death by his parents and his younger brother Jack Niichel.

He is survived by the monks of St. Gregory's Abbey, his brothers and sisters-in-law Richard and Fran Niichel of Scottsdale, Arizona; and Gary and Sharon Niichel of Alton, Iowa; and several nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be possible at St. Gregory's Abbey beginning at 9:15 a.m., Saturday, September 3, and continue each day between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. until the funeral.

A vigil for the deceased will be at 7:00 p.m., Monday, September 5, in St. Gregory's Abbey Church.

Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 3:30 p.m., Tuesday, September. 6, in St. Gregory's Abbey Church with interment following in the monastery cemetery.

The monastic community is grateful for the dedicated and attentive care that Brother Joseph received from the Abbey Health Care Staff.

In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to the St. Gregory's Abbey Church renovation fund, 1900 W. MacArthur, Shawnee, Oklahoma 74804.