Franciscan Sister Mary Hope Uphoff, 81, died Jan. 2 at the St. Francis Convent in Little Falls. A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated at St. Francis Convent Jan. 7.

Sister (Rose Mary) Hope was born Feb. 10, 1937, to Alois and Louise (Laing) Uphoff in New Munich. Her twin sister died shortly after birth. She attended Sacred Heart School in New Munich and St. Francis High School in Little Falls. She was accepted as a Franciscan Sister of Little Falls July 31, 1955, and was given the name Sister Mary Hope. She was a Franciscan Sister for 63 years.
Sister Hope became a registered nurse at St. Francis Hospital School of Nursing, Breckenridge. She served in Sauk Centre, Alexandria, Moorhead, Little Falls and Hastings, Minnesota, and in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
At St. Francis Convent Infirmary Sister Hope became the director of nursing for eight years. She continued ministry to the elderly at Augustana Nursing Home in Hastings. Sister Hope served on the governing boards of St. Francis Hospital, Breckenridge.; Trinity Hospital, Baudette, Minnesota; and Trinity Hospital, Cudahy, Wisconsin.
Her parents, her twin sister, and her brother-in-law, Floyd Siegle, preceded her in death. Survivors include siblings: Alice Siegle, Long Prairie; Louise (Jerry) Kaiser, Zumbrota, Minnesota; Judy (Dave) Lesar, St. Cloud, and Charles (Deb), Melrose; nieces, nephews and her Franciscan Community. Donations to Franciscan Sisters ministries preferred.