S. Verena Kaiser OSB, 96, died Tuesday, January 25, 2011 in the Sacred Heart Monastery Care Center.

   A wake service will be held Sunday, January 30 at 7:30 p.m. and the Funeral Mass will be celebrated Monday, January 31 at 11 a.m. in Bishop Marty Memorial Chapel.  Burial will be in the monastery cemetery.

   Frances Elizabeth Kaiser was born February 21, 1914 to John and Johanna (Uhe) Kaiser at Yankton, South Dakota. She was the oldest of four children.  At the age of three she almost died from a confrontation with a hive of bees.  She attended Sacred Heart School and Mount Marty Academy graduating as valedictorian in 1931.  She entered Sacred Heart Monastery on February 23, 1932 and became a novice in June, 1933 receiving the name, Verena.  She made her first profession in 1934 and final profession in 1940.

  S. Verena’s ministry included many years in elementary and secondary education in Nebraska, North and South Dakota.  She did tutoring in Newport News, VA and pastoral ministry in Hampton, VA.  She later managed the Monastery Print Shop and was also Monastery Archivist and Museum Curator for several years.  Her higher degrees were earned through many summers classes at Northern Normal in Aberdeen, SD and at Mt. Marty College.  She did graduate work at several universities. Travels took her to different parts of the United States and the Holy Land which she cites as a highlight of her life.  In her autobiography she wrote “I trust that entering the heavenly Jerusalem will far surpass that of going to the earthly Jerusalem or anything else that I have done.”

   S. Verena was known for the twinkle in her eyes, her green thumb and her love of history. She spent many hours working on her family genealogy and also researching different aspects of monastery history.  She became active in the preservation of Lakeport Catholic Church near Yankton.

   S. Verena is survived by her Benedictine community, her nieces and nephews.  She was preceded in death by her parents and her three siblings.

                                       Eternal Rest Grant Unto Her O Lord,

                                   and Let Perpetual Light Shine Upon Her.

                                                    May She Rest in Peace.