Obituary: Benedictine Sister Jocile (Beatrice) Robinson

Benedictine Sister Jocile Robinson, 87, died at St. Scholastica Convent, St. Cloud, March 30. A private service and burial of her cremated remains will take place at St. Benedict’s Monastery, St. Joseph, on April 3. A memorial Eucharist will be celebrated at a later date when her Benedictine community, family and friends can be present.

Sister Jocile (Beatrice) was born March 26, 1933, to Joseph and Florence (Rosekranz) Robinson in St. Cloud. The sixth of 12 children, she attended Cathedral High School in St. Cloud. She entered St. Benedict’s Monastery Sept. 11, 1951, and was received into the novitiate June 18, 1952, taking the name Jocile. She made first monastic profession Dec. 20, 1953, and perpetual monastic profession July 11, 1957. Her golden jubilee was celebrated in 2003 and her 60th anniversary in 2013.

She earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education in 1972 and a bachelor’s degree in nursing in 1983 from the College of St. Benedict, St. Joseph. She also attended St. Cloud State University, Mary University in Bismarck, North Dakota, and Bemidji State College. 

As an elementary educator, Sister Jocile served throughout Minnesota: Perham, Melrose, Red Lake, Miesville, Luxemburg, Albany, St. John Cantius and St. Mary’s Cathedral in St. Cloud, and in Anaconda, Montana. She was also principal at St. Mary’s Cathedral Grade School in St. Cloud, Melrose and Albany. Sister Jocile served as director of religious education in Kenosha, Wisconsin, and St. Mary’s Cathedral in St. Cloud and ministered in religious education and parish nursing in Wadena.

Following her career in education, Sister Jocile was employed as a registered nurse in Garrison Memorial Hospital in Garrison, North Dakota, and Red Lake Community Hospital and Wadena Tri-County Hospital in Minnesota and in hospice and home care in Wadena. She also worked as a parish nurse in St. Joseph’s Parish, St. Joseph, and ministered at St. Scholastica Convent in St. Cloud. 

In 2015, she moved to St. Scholastica Convent where she continued a life of prayer and community living.

In addition to the sisters in her Benedictine community, Sister Jocile is survived by four brothers: Richard, Joseph, William and Donald, and three sisters, Eilene Zitur, Nellie Liepold and Florence Chwialkowski. She was preceded in death by her parents, brothers, Walter and Robert, and two brothers who died in infancy.

Please direct memorial gifts to the Sisters of the Order of St. Benedict Outreach Ministries.

Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Benson Funeral Homes. Sister Jocile’s death was not related to COVID-19.

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Author: The Central Minnesota Catholic

The Central Minnesota Catholic is the magazine for the Diocese of St. Cloud.

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