Sister Benet (Cleo Patricia) Frandrup died on September 21, 2025, at Saint Scholastica Convent in St. Cloud.
The Eucharist of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m. Oct. 1 at the Sacred Heart Chapel, Saint Benedict’s Monastery, St. Joseph. Burial will be in the monastery cemetery. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Benson Funeral Home. Friends may call at Saint Scholastica Convent on Sept. 30 for a prayer service at 3 p.m. followed by visitation until 4:15 p.m., or for a vigil prayer service at 7 p.m. at Saint Benedict’s Monastery. Visitation continues at 9 a.m. until the time of the funeral on Oct. 1.
Sister Benet was born Feb. 2, 1935, to Frank and Bertha (Freiermuth) Frandrup in Hampton, Minnesota. She was the 10th child in her family, having four brothers and six sisters. She attended St. Mathias Grade School in Hampton and Saint Benedict’s High School in St. Joseph. She entered Saint Benedict’s Monastery on August. 21, 1949, was received into the novitiate on June 17, 1953, made first monastic profession on July 11, 1954, and perpetual monastic profession on July 11, 1957. She celebrated her golden jubilee in 2004 and her 60th jubilee in 2014.
Sister Benet received a bachelor’s degree from the College of Saint Benedict in elementary education with a minor in history. She also attended St. Cloud State University in St. Cloud. In 1956, she began her ministry in education, teaching elementary grades in the cities of Wadena, St. Joseph, Minneapolis, Greenwald, Albany, Red Lake, Little Falls, Buckman, St. Cloud and St. Augusta. She also served as principal in Red Lake and Buckman.
In 2005, Sister Benet moved to Saint Benedict’s Monastery where she helped with candlemaking, served in the Artisan Studio, and assisted in the monastery guest house. She also served as an artisan for Monastic Enterprises and created beautiful handmade items for Whitby Gift Shop, including candles and embroidery. She spent many summers working in the garden wherever she lived and sang with St. Peter’s Parish choir in St. Cloud. In 2021, she moved to Saint Scholastica Convent where she continued a ministry of prayer.
Sister Benet is survived by the members of her Benedictine community, her sisters, Sister Dennis Frandrup and Diane Sparrow, her sister-in-law, Mary Frandrup, and nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, her brothers, LeRoy (Dorothy), Ervin (Mabel), Frank (Loretta) and Clifford, and her sisters, Bernice Frandrup, Viola “Bubbles” (Jerry) Hardy, Mary (Donald) Cutshall and Sister Shirley Frandrup.
Please direct memorial gifts to the Sisters of the Order of Saint Benedict Outreach Ministries.