Benedictine Sister Johnita (Ann Mary) Meyer

Friday, Jun. 10, 2016

Sr. Johnita (Ann Mary) Meyer OSB, 97, died June 1, 2016 at Saint Benedict’s Monastery in St. Joseph, Minn.

Ann Mary Meyer was born on Oct. 28, 1918, to John J. and Margaret (Emineth) Meyer in Dickinson, N.D. She attended St. Joseph School in Dickinson and received her high school equivalency at Technical High School in St. Cloud, Minn. Ann Mary entered Saint Benedict’s Monastery on Nov. 6, 1946, was received into the novitiate June 17, 1947, taking the name Sr. Johnita; made first monastic profession July 11, 1948, and perpetual monastic profession on July 11, 1951.  

Sr. Johnita attended programs related to hospital housekeeping offered by the Catholic Hospital Association in St. Louis, Mo., and Los Angeles, Calif. From 1948 to 1956, she served at St. Cloud Hospital at the switchboard and in pantry work. She then spent nine years in housekeeping at St. Benedict’s Hospital in Ogden, Utah. 

Following her return to Minnesota in 1965, she supervised the residents’ dining room at Saint Joseph’s Home in St. Cloud, served in the business office at Saint Benedict’s Monastery, as receptionist at Saint Raphael’s Home in St. Cloud, and worked in the St. Cloud Hospital medical records office from 1974 to 1988. In 1988, she was called back to service in the monastery where she worked in food service and catering as well as in the laundry at St. Raphael’s Home. Her service also included being a hostess at the monastery’s Art and Heritage Place, working as an artisan for Monastic Enterprises and as a member of the formation community at Saint Benedict’s Monastery, guiding women discerning a vocation to monastic life.

A unique talent that Sr. Johnita possessed was decorating tables and working with food. She prepared and graciously served special luncheons and banquets at Saint Benedict’s Monastery until 2008. Her love of beauty was also apparent in her well-tended flower garden.

In 2011, Sr. Johnita moved to Saint Scholastica Convent, where she undertook a ministry of prayer for the prioress and continued to serve in Monastic Enterprises.

In addition to her Benedictine community, Sr. Johnita is survived by her brother Richard and sister Doloris Schmidt, of Dickinson, N.D., and sister Rose St. Peter of Bismarck, N.D. 

Brothers John, Ben, Ray, Fred and Paul; and sisters Arleen Amann, Eleanor Fredrick, Lucille Heenan and Barbara Boehm preceded her in death.  

The Eucharist of Christian Burial was celebrated at the Sacred Heart Chapel, Saint Benedict’s Monastery, St. Joseph, Minn. Burial followed in the monastery cemetery. 

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