Sister M. Bernice Preister

Sister Bernice Preister, OSF, a Sister of St. Francis of Perpetual Adoration for 70 years, died peacefully at Mount St. Francis Nursing Center in Colorado Springs on January 8, 2018.

Sister Bernice (Mary Ann) was born on November 14, 1928, the weaker of twin girls, in Cornlea, Nebraska to Ben and Anna (Babel) Preister and baptized at St. Bernard in Lindsay on the day of her birth. Sister Bernice is survived by her brother Dick, his wife Geraldine, and her four sisters: Angela Sand, Helen Wegener, her twin Jo Ann Rossell, Bernette Hamling and two sisters-in-law: Mardell Preister and Mildred Preister. She was preceded in death by her parents, brothers: Arthur, Alvin, Jim and Leon and her sisters: Bernice and Imelda.

Sister Bernice entered the Sisters of St. Francis in Denver in 1946 and received the holy habit on August 12, 1947, celebrating final vows on August 12, 1954 and in 2017 she celebrated her 70th Jubilee.

Sister Bernice attended Duchesne College for her Bachelors in Education and Creighton University where she attained her MA in 1968.

As a primary teacher she taught for 49 years in Kansas, New Mexico and Nebraska. Kindergarteners were her love and joy. From 1996-2005 she served as a Pastoral Minister visiting the sick, elderly and homebound in Humphrey, NE and the surrounding rural areas.

She moved to Mount Saint Francis in 2005 and ministered to our Sisters in St. Francis Nursing Center. In 2014, she became a resident of Mount St. Francis Nursing Center and continued her hobbies of embroidering tea towels and pillow cases, playing Scrabble, working jigsaw puzzles and adult coloring books.

The rosary will be prayed for Sister Bernice in the Mount St. Francis Nursing Center chapel at 3:00 pm on Thursday, January 11, 2018; with Vespers and Wake Service held in Canticle Chapel of St. Clare Convent at 5:15 pm.

The Mass of Resurrection will be celebrated on Friday, January 12, 2018 at 10:30 am in St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, followed by burial in the Mount Saint Francis Cemetery. Sister Bernice requested that in lieu of flowers that a memorial be made to St. Francis School in Humphrey, NE or to the Sisters of St. Francis.

Memorials can be sent to: Sister Nadine Heimann, Provincial, Sisters of St. Francis of Perpetual Adoration, at 7665 Assisi Heights, Colorado Springs, CO 80919.