Franciscan Sister Jeanette Quinn, 88, died March 18 at St. Francis Convent, Little Falls. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at St. Francis Convent on Monday, March 25, at 11 a.m. Friends may call at the convent on Sunday, March 24, from 4 to 8 p.m., with a Franciscan prayer service at 7 p.m. and from 8:30 a.m. until the time of the funeral on March 25 at 11 a.m.
Sister Jeanette was born Oct. 16, 1930, to Leo and Lucy (Spieker) Quinn in Belle River, Minnesota. She was the second of three children. The family moved to Osakis when Jeanette was in the third grade and she attended the Osakis public schools from third grade through high school. She graduated from high school in 1948 and then was a student at St. Cloud School of Nursing for two years. She was accepted as a Franciscan Sister of Little Falls on July 31, 1951, and given the name Sister Mary de Montfort. She returned to her baptismal name in 1967. She was a Franciscan sister for 67 years.
Sister Jeanette completed her nursing studies at St. Gabriel’s School of Nursing and received her RN in 1953. She ministered as a nurse at St. Gabriel’s Hospital and St. Francis Convent Infirmary in Little Falls, St. Cloud Children’s Home, Community Mercy Hospital of Onamia, and St. Joseph Hospital, Dodgeville, Wisconsin. After retiring from active nursing, Sister Jeanette did secretarial work for St. Gabriel’s Hospital nursing service and radiology departments. She completed her active ministry as secretary for the Development Office at St. Francis Convent.
She had a great love for music. She played the French horn in her high school brass sextet and played bass violin. Sister Jeanette was also a member of the Heartland Symphony Orchestra. She loved nature as well as writing poetry.
She is survived by her sister-in-law, Shirley Quinn, nieces and nephews, cousins, friends and by her Franciscan community. Her parents, brother Roger and sister Charlene Mahony preceded her in death.
Donations to Franciscan Sisters ministries preferred.