Sister Bernadette Kostrzewski

Sister Bernadette Kostrzewski, age 92, died on November 15, 2024 at Villa St. Vincent Nursing Home, Crookston, MN.

Sister Bernadette entered this world as Rosalie, the youngest of eleven children. She was born on February 18, 1932. Both of her parents, William and Anna (Sczcpanski) Kostrzewski, were born in Poland and came to the United States with their families as young children. The family lived on a farm near Stephen, MN, and Rosalie and her four sisters and six brothers attended Golden Glow, District 55E country school near Stephen, MN. She remembered walking to school with at least one of her older sisters watching over her. As a farmer’s daughter, she looked back at milking and herding the cows and cleaning the barn.

For high school, Sister Bernadette first went to the Cathedral High School and then to Mount Saint Benedict Academy. After getting to know some of the sisters and working with them, she decided to enter Mount Saint Benedict Monastery in 1952. Sister Bernadette was received into the novitiate on July 2, 1952, when she received the Benedictine habit (clothing) and name Sister Bernadette. Two things impressed her during her formation days: Sister Bernadette admired the older sisters for how hard they worked to build the foundation of the community so that others may profit from it. And she remembered working in the garden as a novice with Sister Benigna. She made final monastic profession on July 11, 1956.

Sister Bernadette attended Saint Gabriel’s School of Nursing Diploma Program, Little Falls, MN. She received a Bachelor of Science Degree in nursing from South Dakota State University’s College of Nursing, Brookings, SD. Sister Bernadette served as a registered nurse at Saint John’s Hospital, Red Lake Falls; Saint Francis Hospital, Crookston; Saint John’s Hospital, Browerville; Saint Mary’s Hospital, Detroit Lakes; Mahnomen County Hospital, Mahnomen, and RiverView Healthcare, Crookston. After twenty-two years at RiverView Healthcare serving as a nurse and as clinical supervisor of RiverView’s ICU/ICCU Unit for a time, she retired from nursing in 2000.

But she didn’t retire from work. Sister took care of medication requests and used her sewing skills to produce various beautiful items for the gift shop. In her spare time, she enjoyed working on a jigsaw puzzle.

Sister Bernadette shared her thoughts: “Nursing was a rewarding ministry, and it was a privilege to be involved in the lives of many people from birth to death.

She stated “Now living at the Mount allows me to participate more fully in monastic life through community prayer and activities.”

Sister Bernadette was preceded in death by her parents William and Anna Kostrzewski and Siblings: George Kostrzewski, Dominic Kostrzewski, Florian Kostrzewski, Andrew Kostrzewski, John Kostrzewski, Roman Kostrzewski, Emily Valley, Marian Kostrzewski, Dolores Kostrzewski; and Irene Lee.

She is survived by many nieces and nephews and the Sisters of Saint Benedict of Crookston.

 Prayer Service: 11:00 a.m.. November 25, 2024 in Sacred Heart Chapel, Mount Saint Benedict Monastery.

 Mass of Christian Burial: 2:00 p.m., November 25, 2024 in Sacred Heart Chapel, Mount Saint Benedict Monastery. Celebrant: Bishop Andrew Cozzens. Honorary Casket Bearers: Sisters of Mount Saint Benedict Monastery.

 Interment: Mount Saint Benedict Cemetery, Crookston, Minnesota.

 Arrangements by Stenshoel-Houske Funeral Home, Crookston, Minnesota.