Franciscan Sister Sharon Fitzpatrick, 76, died March 6 at St. Francis Convent, Little Falls. A private burial was held March 8. A virtual Franciscan Prayer Service will be held at 7 p.m. on March 16. A memorial Mass will be celebrated at a later date at St. Francis Convent.
Sharon was born Sept. 25, 1944, in St. Cloud, the fourth of eight children born to Ed and Ellen (Smith) Fitzpatrick. She attended both elementary and high school in Foley, and in the fall of 1963 entered the Franciscan Sisters of Little Falls. She was received into the novitiate July 31, 1964, and was given the name Sister Mary Colleen. She returned to her baptismal name in 1976. Sister Sharon made her first profession of vows June 13, 1966, and final vows on June 6, 1971. She was a Franciscan Sister for 56 years.
Sister Sharon earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from St. Mary’s College, Winona, Minnesota. She was the co-founder and administrator of The House of Bread and Peace, a shelter for homeless women. Later, she was the co-founder and staff person at Becker House, a home for single women making transitions in their lives. Next, she was appointed assistant novice director for the Midwest Franciscans Novitiate in Joliet, Illinois. From 2009-2020, she was the benefactor relations coordinator for the Franciscan Sisters. Sister Sharon ministered in Little Falls and Duluth, Minnesota; Evansville, Indiana; and Chicago and Joliet, Illinois.
She was preceded in death by her parents and siblings Colleen, Tim and Maureen. Survivors include siblings Terry, Mike (Mary Jo), Catherine (Leroy) Herbst, and Tom (Sharon); sister-in-law Georgette Fitzpatrick; nieces and nephews and her Franciscan Community.
Donations to Franciscan Sisters ministries preferred.