Dalene (Marie) Schindler, OSB
Saint Benedict’s Monastery, St. Joseph
Feb. 22, 1921 – July 7, 2017
Sister Dalene (Marie) Schindler, 96, died July 7, 2017, at St. Scholastica Convent, St. Cloud, Minn. Her funeral was held July 13 at the Sacred Heart Chapel, St. Benedict’s Monastery, St. Joseph, Minn. Burial was in the monastery cemetery.
Schindler was born Feb. 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. She was employed at St. Benedict’s Monastery from 1937-41 and then worked for two families in St. Paul for three years. She entered St. Benedict’s Monastery on Oct. 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.
Schindler 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 and completed the Clothing Production Basic Tailoring Class through the College of St. Benedict.
Much of her ministry was in food service. She cooked and made wedding cakes at St. 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 St. 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. Her hand-sewn dolls, tatting, embroidery and crochet were much sought-after items at Monastic Enterprise’s spring and holiday sales.
Survivors include the following: 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 her sisters, Sister Elaine (Elizabeth) Schindler, OSB, and Sister Martina (Agatha) Schindler, OSB.
Memorial gifts should be directed to the Sisters of the Order of St. Benedict Memorial Fund.
