Sister Cleone (Mary Anthony) Josephine Renner, 89, died May 28 at St. Francis Convent, Little Falls. A memorial Mass to celebrate her life will be held at a later time.
Cleone Josephine Renner was born in Buckman March 18, 1931, the second of eight children born to Victor and Anna (Marshik) Renner. Later the family moved to Milaca and she considered that her hometown. She attended District 96B elementary school and St. Francis High School in Little Falls, graduating in 1950.
Cleone entered St. Francis Convent July 31, 1950, and was given the name Sister Mary Anthony, returning to her baptismal name in the 1960s. She made her first profession of vows Aug. 12, 1952, and final vows Aug. 12, 1955. She was a Franciscan Sister for 69 years.
Sister Cleone earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from the College of St. Catherine, St. Paul and a bachelor’s degree in theology from St. Joseph’s College, Rensselaer, Indiana.
She ministered as a teacher’s aide and elementary teacher in St. Cloud, Waite Park, Fergus Falls, Foley, Little Falls and Zimmerman. She served as coordinator of religious education and in parish ministry in Pittsburg, Texas, and was coordinator of religious education in Mt. Pleasant, Texas. Later she returned to the motherhouse where she ministered as sacristan and as a driver.
Sister Cleone was preceded in death by siblings Franciscan Sister Marjorie Ann, Lorraine Kallis, JoAnne Strang, Victor. Survivors include siblings Poor Clare Sister Mary Lucy, Sauk Rapids; Leon (Sandy), Foley; Eileen (Benedict) Klimek, Carver, Minnesota; sister-in-law Geraldine, Milaca; nieces, nephews and her Franciscan Community.