Dalene (Marie) Schindler, OSB

Dalene (Marie) Schindler, OSB

Saint Benedict’s Monastery 

St. Joseph, Minn.

February 22, 1921 – July 7, 2017

The Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 4 p.m. on Thursday, July 13, 2017, at the Sacred Heart Chapel, Saint Benedict’s Monastery, St. Joseph, Minn., for Sister Dalene (Marie) Schindler, who died, age 96, on July 7, 2017, at Saint Scholastica Convent, St. Cloud, Minn. Burial will be in the monastery cemetery. Friends may call at Saint Scholastica Convent on Wednesday, July 12, from 1-6 p.m., or for a Vigil Prayer Service at 7 p.m. at Saint Benedict’s Monastery. Visitation continues at 9 a.m. on July 13 until the time of the funeral.

Marie Schindler was born February 22, 1921, to Henry C. and Theresia A. (Reischl) in St. Joseph. She attended the district public school on Avon Route for three years and St. Joseph School for grades 4-8. Marie was employed at Saint Benedict’s Monastery from 1937 to 1941 and then worked for two families in St. Paul for three years. She entered Saint Benedict’s Monastery on October 29, 1944, was received into the novitiate June 21, 1945, taking the name Sister Dalene, made her first monastic profession on July 11, 1946, and perpetual monastic profession on July 11, 1949.

S. Dalene received her high school equivalency at Vocational Technical High School through Cathedral High School, St. Cloud. She served for many years as a homemaker and held several qualifications in this field. She earned her certification in cooking by completing the program Principles of Quantity Food Production from St. Paul Area Technical-Vocational Institute, was a member of the Hospital Institutional Educational Food Service Society (HIEFSS) and completed the Clothing Production Basic Tailoring Class through the College of Saint Benedict.

Much of S. Dalene’s ministry was in food service. She cooked and made wedding cakes at Saint Benedict’s Monastery; was cook at St. Joseph’s, Minneapolis; the only baker (1958-1963) and food service supervisor (1967-1976) at St. Raphael’s Nursing Home, St. Cloud; and was supervisor of the boys’ school and monastery kitchen at Monasterio San Antonio Abad, Humacao, Puerto Rico (1963-1967). In 1976, she had a change of ministry, moving into tailoring and becoming supervisor of the sewing room at Saint Benedict’s Monastery, a position she held for more than 20 years. When the sewing room closed, she spent more time engaged as an artisan, although she still helped with sewing. S. Dalene’s hand-sewn dolls, tatting, embroidery and crochet were much sought after items at Monastic Enterprise’s spring and holiday sales.

S. Dalene is survived by the members of her Benedictine community, two brothers, John and Albert, and a sister, Magdalene, all of St. Joseph.  She was preceded in death by her parents, brothers, Joseph and Alphonse, and by her sisters, Sister Elaine (Elizabeth) Schindler, OSB, and Sister Martina (Agatha) Schindler, OSB.

Please direct memorial gifts to the Sisters of the Order of Saint Benedict Memorial Fund.