It was bitterly cold on January 6, 1942, when Janet Marie Theis (Sister Maribeth) was welcomed into the world by her parents, John and Marian, and two brothers, Don and Leo. As time passed, her siblings Paul and Judy joined the Theis family.

Growing up on a small dairy farm provided opportunities for spending afternoons in the woods with the Holstein cows and their dog. S. Maribeth developed a love of the smell of freshly cut alfalfa hay, and her favorite Christmas gift was a bike. In the summer, her family planted a huge vegetable garden and played jump rope, hopscotch, jacks, kick the can, hide and seek, tag and baseball. Wintertime fun included sledding, tobogganing, skiing and ice skating. S. Maribeth’s family lived on a gravel road called “Theis Crossroad”—four Theis families had farms along that road.

After graduating from the College of Saint Benedict in St. Joseph, Minn., S. Maribeth’s first teaching experience was in Pierz, Minn., with 43 second graders. She knew she had found her niche. As the years passed, she continued her “Joy Job” as a teacher, mainly in grades one and two.

S. Maribeth was an inspiration to her teachers and students. As my principal in Maple Lake, Minn., I discovered how professional she was, and everything was done to “perfection.” We teachers appreciated her organizational skills and how she brought out the best gifts in each one of us. She also received a special tribute from one of her students: “I met the woman who inspired me to chase every dream I’ve ever had while being humble, grateful and generous. In second grade, I met my all-time biggest, most reassured role model … this woman was my teacher, Sister Maribeth Theis.”

After three surgeries for cancer, S. Maribeth realized she no longer had the stamina to teach. She continued to work in the education arena as supervisor of College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University students doing their student teaching experiences. She also worked in the St. Joseph Catholic School library, then in the monastery library. In 2011, she was asked to work in the library at Saint Scholastica Convent, our retirement home, a position she loved. She left the library for some years but now continues working there on a part-time basis.

S. Maribeth’s best friend is chocolate, and she looks forward to any outing that includes Dairy Queen, Culvers or Pizza Ranch. You can’t miss her enthusiasm for the Minnesota Twins and Vikings. S. Maribeth also always looks forward to her Big Birch Lake vacation group. Their theme was, “O Lord, it’s hard to be humble when you’re perfect in every way…”

Here at Saint Scholastica Convent, in this quiet, wooded space with caring employees, each sister can be her unique self. It is a good life! S. Maribeth is grateful to all who have supported and loved her during her life journey of 60 years as a Benedictine sister. “Praise God from whom all blessings flow.”

Profile written by Jean Schwartz, OSB