Unsung

HEROES

Saint Vincent College is blessed to the brim with unsung heroes working behind the scenes to maintain the campus’s serene atmosphere and keep day-to-day operations running smoothly. Johnny Hunter, Donna Warner, and Mari Jo Palmer are just three of the many we have to thank for continuing to ensure our campus is welcoming, beautiful, and peaceful.

Story: Joseph Bell | Photography: Liz Palmer

As a young boy, Johnny Hunter lived in the shadows of the College in the village of Dorothy, a small Unity Township neighborhood located northeast of campus along Monastery Run. He didn’t have to look far to find work; since 1980, Hunter has been employed at SVC as a plumber. As he puts it, “everything that has to do with water,” he’s the guy. And that includes roof leaks and the swimming pool. 

Carpentry was Hunter’s foremost love, but his first job in the field wasn’t what he wanted it to be. A friendship with the late Brother Pat Lacey, O.S.B., changed everything as he brought Hunter into the SVC fold and trained him as a plumber. “Although plumbing wasn’t what I ever dreamed doing, I loved working with Brother [Pat],” Hunter said. “I got to work with Brother [Pat] for over twenty years, and it didn’t feel like work at all.” 

Still, there’s plenty of work to keep the forty-five-year plumber busy as he maintains a watchful eye on all the drains, fixtures, and pipes throughout the campus to make sure there are no service interruptions for the SVC community and visitors. But “plumber” is just a title; Hunter contributes a great deal more. “I’m pretty talented when it comes to drawing or painting or just making stuff,” he said of his lesser-known specialties. 

Father Vincent de Paul Crosby, O.S.B., S’72, and a number of other priests, frequently seek Hunter’s assistance. “He’s one that I help a lot doing art stuff or statues,” Hunter said. The veteran SVC employee also helped to further enhance the campus by building the Nativity set for Saint Vincent Archabbey Basilica and an additional Nativity set placed in the refectory inside the monastery. “I’m happy to help the priests whenever they ask me if I can help out with something,” Hunter noted. In addition to volunteering services outside of his plumbing purview, it’s also not uncommon to see Hunter assisting with snow removal on campus. 

While he’d much rather be in the sun, at 64 years young, Hunter is not ready for the sunset as retirement isn’t yet part of his vocabulary. “I just love the place,” he said. “I loved working with Brother Pat, and I owe him everything for getting me this job. I’m so dedicated to this place.”

“I try to give the best

hospitality I can give others.”

Donna Werner, campus post office manager, is another SVC fixture synonymous with the word “dedication.” She’s served in the role for roughly two decades—and thirty-eight years overall at the College—while working alongside Father Jeffrey Nyardy, O.S.B., S’90, and a variety of students. It can be a rather challenging job. Werner’s duties include managing all the mailbox keys and manually cataloging and keeping track of all packages coming to the College, Archabbey, and Seminary. 

But it’s also a rewarding job as students are elated to receive care packages from family and friends, and whatever else they might need through the mail. Depending on the time of year, the post office handles anywhere from fifty to 250 packages daily. Still, Werner quickly notes “nothing is too small or too large” for the post office to handle. 

In work and life in general, Werner seeks to emphasize Benedictine values daily, lending a listening ear and treating everyone with a friendly attitude. “I try to give the best hospitality I can give others,” she said, adding that at times she has even assisted Benedictines and laypeople with using the ATM located outside the post office. “Even if it’s not a post office-related thing, I will help to the best of my knowledge.”

“If you’re ever in an off mood,  

there’s someone here who  

will make you laugh.”

Mari Jo Palmer has a wealth of wisdom when it comes to the ins and outs of almost every building on campus, having provided custodial work at the College for eighteen years—with three and a half of those years as lead custodian. Palmer first started cleaning Aurelius Hall; she now helps maintain the peaceful confines of Alfred Hall. “I still learn different things in every building,” she said. “I still learn every day.” 

Working at SVC has introduced Palmer to more people, she said, including Benedictines and laypeople who always offer a friendly smile. “If you’re ever in an off mood, there’s someone here who will make you laugh,” she said. “That makes me feel good. I’m happy that I’m here.”

The personable employee is also quick to deflect the spotlight onto her coworkers, stressing a “team effort” atmosphere at the College. “Without them, we couldn’t do it, and I couldn’t do my job,” Palmer said. “I tell them every day, ’thank you, thank you.’”