Sister Mary Bernarda Sanoski, 102, died on February 28, 2019, at St. Francis Convent, Little Falls, Minn.
On the beautiful feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, August 15, 1916, Andrew and Mary Sanoski welcomed Cecilia Marie, the ninth of ten children, into their family in Minneota, Minn. The family later moved to Morrison County where Cecilia attended a country school near Flensburg for all eight grades. She enrolled at St. Francis High School, Little Falls, graduating in 1935.
Cecilia was accepted as a Franciscan Sister of Little Falls, Minnesota, on August 12, 1935 and given the name, Sister Mary Bernarda. She made final vows on August 12, 1940. She was a Franciscan Sister for 83 years.
Sister Bernarda obtained her RN at St. Francis School of Nursing, Breckenridge, in 1940. In 1942 she received a certificate in obstetrical nursing from Marquette University and in 1945 received her BSN from Marquette. She ministered as an OB nurse at St. Francis, Breckenridge and St. Gabriel’s, Little Falls.
Sister Bernarda was licensed as a hospital administrator by the Minnesota Department of Health in 1960 and served as administrator of St. Ansgar Hospital, Moorhead, for 18 years. During that time she held several civic positions including being a member of the Clay County Advisory Council and serving as a trustee of the Minnesota Hospital Association. In 1978, she was named Woman of the Year by the Fargo/Moorhead Young Women’s Association.
After a brief sabbatical at Creighton University in Omaha, Neb., she received a certificate as a pastoral associate from St. Margaret Health Center, Kansas City, Kans. She was elected to the Community Board of the Franciscan Sisters in 1980 and served for four years. During that time she was also a member of the founding Board of Directors of Franciscan Sisters Health Care, Inc.
Sister Bernarda then served in pastoral care at McKennan Hospital, Sioux Falls, S. Dak., Trinity Memorial Hospital, Cudahy, Wis. and St. Francis Medical Center, Breckenridge. She then did parish ministry in Swanville and Flensburg before retiring to the motherhouse in 2014.
Sister Bernarda was a people-person who loved both bedside nursing and administration, but found her niche in pastoral care. She was loving, kind, compassionate, knowledgeable and industrious. She had a great sense of humor and a healthy laugh. As a generous Community member, she gave freely of herself and her many talents. Her deep faith was enhanced and strengthened through the many opportunities given to her by her religious Community. One of her favorite Scripture passages was from Ephesians, “We are God’s work of art, created in Christ Jesus to live the good life.” She loved to cook, garden, fish, visit with friends, play cards, dance, read and walk to revitalize and energize herself.
Sister Bernarda was preceded in death by siblings: Nellie Pease, Stanley, Tillie Witt, Rose Fedor, John, Frank, Walter, Anna Miller and Theodore. Survivors include nieces, nephews, extended family, many friends and her Franciscan Community.
A Mass of Christian Burial will take place at St. Francis Convent on Tuesday, March 5, at 11 a.m. Friends may call at St. Francis Convent on Monday, March 4, 4-8 p.m.; with a Franciscan prayer service at 7 p.m., and from 8:30 a.m. until the time of the funeral on March 5, at 11 a.m. Arrangements are by Emblom Brenny Funeral Service, Little Falls.
Donations to Franciscan Sisters ministries preferred.
