Sister Marietta Geray

Sister Marietta Geray, age 93, died peacefully on November 28, 2024, at St. Benedict’s Care Center in St. Cloud, Minnesota. Sister Marietta Geray was born on September 11, 1931, in Beaulieu, the second of the eleven children of Joseph Frederick Geray and Mary Margaret (Kaster) Geray. At her baptism, her parents named her Hyacinth Rosa Geray.

She began her education at Ahmann School, the country school near her home. For high school, she attended Mount Saint Benedict Academy.

In 1950 she entered Mount Saint Benedict Monastery, and on January 8, 1951, received the Benedictine habit and the name Sister Marietta. She made her final monastic profession on July 11, 1955.

Sister Marietta received a bachelor’s degree from the College of Saint Theresa in Winona and a master’s degree from the University of Minnesota and the University of Dayton in Dayton, OH.

Sister Marietta served as an elementary school teacher in Cathedral School, Crookston; Assumption School, Barnesville; St. Philip’s School, Bemidji; and Holy Rosary, Detroit Lakes, MN. She then worked with high school students as a German teacher and a prefect at Mount Saint Benedict Academy, and as a German and religion teacher and assistant principal at Sacred Heart High School in East Grand Forks.

Following this part of her teaching ministry, Sister Marietta enrolled as a graduate student at the University of Dayton in Dayton, Ohio. She taught ethics to students at the university and served as an administrative assistant in the religion department. After leaving the university, Sister Marietta lectured in ethics at the University of Minnesota Crookston, the Moorhead Technical College and the University of Mary Fargo.

Beginning in 2011, Sister Marietta moved to Benedict Village in Saint Cloud, MN. While as a resident of Benedict Village, Sister Marietta established a handbell/chime choir which remains active to this day. She regularly assisted with the liturgy there. When consulted, she facilitated spiritual growth for the Benedict Village community members. Avid computer user and researcher up until the end. She gathered information and participated in online discussion groups outside of her residence.

Sister Marietta was very devoted to the care of her sister, Vivian, while Vivian was a resident of St Cloud. She cherished her deep connections with her sister, Marie, and many of her nieces and nephews.

She is preceded in death by her parents, by sisters Rita Olson, Magdalen Symonds, Aria Ronayne, Viviana Beuning and Geraldine Lukas. She is survived by siblings Marie (Gerald) Plante, Veronica Placek, Sandra (Alquin) Tschida, Joseph Geray, Jr.. Reinald Geray, many nieces and nephews and the Sisters of Mount Saint Benedict Monastery.

Services Friday, May 9, 2025, at Mount Saint Benedict Monastery, Crookston, MN.

Eulogy: 1:30 p.m. in Sacred Heart Chapel.

Mass of Christian Burial: 2:00 p.m. in Sacred Heart Chapel. Celebrant: Bishop Andrew Cozzens.

Interment in Mount Saint Benedict Cemetery followed by reception in dining room with sharing of memories. Services will be livestreamed, the link to which can be found by going to www.stenshoelhouske.com/obituaries and following the prompts to Sister Marietta’s page.