Benedictine Sister Dorothea (Arleda) Lenz, 92, died July 28 at St. Scholastica Convent, St. Cloud. A private Eucharist of Christian Burial will be celebrated at St. Benedict’s Monastery on Aug. 3 followed by inurnment of her cremated remains in the monastery cemetery.
Arleda Lenz was born Feb. 16, 1928, to Florian and Ida Victoria (Lehn) Lenz in St. Michael, Minnesota, the second oldest in her family. She attended St. Michael’s grade school in St. Michael, and St. Joseph’s grade school in Waconia, Minnesota. She received a GED, high school equivalency, from St. Cloud Area Vocational Technical College in St. Cloud in 1971.
She entered St. Benedict’s Monastery Sept. 16, 1946, and was received into the novitiate June 17, 1947, receiving the name Dorothea. She made first monastic profession July 11, 1948, and perpetual monastic profession July 11, 1951. She celebrated her golden jubilee in 1998 and 60th anniversary in 2008.
Sister Dorothea attended St. Paul Vocational Technical Institute and was certified in Principles of Quantity Food Production. She served in the areas of domestic arts in several places including St. Raphael’s Home in St. Cloud, Eden Valley, Perham, Red Lake, Melrose and St. Scholastica Convent. Her ministry included assignments in Taipei, Taiwan, and adult day care in Uniontown, Alabama. Later she served in hospitality as coordinator of the guest house for eight years at St. Benedict’s Monastery. She moved to St. Scholastica Convent in 2002 where she helped in food service, the sewing room and assisting the sisters.
Sister Dorothea is survived by a brother, Ira William, St. Cloud, and three sisters: Franciscan Sister Therese (Leora Margaret), Benedictine Sister Luanne (Floy Ann) and Jane Marie Lenz McLaughlin. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by a brother, Myrl Florian Lenz.
Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Benson Funeral Home. Please direct memorial gifts to the Sisters of the Order of St. Benedict Outreach Ministries.