June 6, 1923 – December 13, 2024
Please pray for the repose of the soul of Sister Mary Charlene O’Keeffe, CSJ who died peacefully on December 13, 2024, at Carondelet Village in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Sister Mary Charlene was a thoughtful, generous friend; an excellent teacher; and a kindhearted spirit. She loved her family, travel, knitting, reading, her Irish heritage and her two cats, Tipper and KC.
She was born Florence O’Keeffe, the youngest of four on a farm in Anoka, Minnesota, on June 6, 1923, to William and Nellie (Curtin) O’Keeffe. She entered the community of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet (CSJ) in 1943. Her educational path included a bachelor of arts in history from the College of St. Catherine in St. Paul (1956) and a master of arts in reading and education from Cardinal Stritch College in Milwaukee (1975).
Sister Mary Charlene’s love of children and their educational welfare was evident in her teaching elementary education for over 35 years at many Twin City schools that were run by our sisters, including St. Mark, St. John, St. Patrick and Nativity of Our Lord, in St. Paul; St. Charles Borromeo and Christ the King in Minneapolis; St. Mary in Bird Island; St. Thomas Aquinas in St. Paul Park; and St. Peter in Richfield.
In 1982, Sister Mary Charlene turned her energies toward serving on the staff at the Still Water House of Prayer in Stillwater, Minnesota. She then became the coordinator and director of maintenance at the St. Paul Provincial House (1987). Later, she shared her wonderfully warm presence as the receptionist at the CSJ Administration Center, where she volunteered for 17 years, stating “I loved every minute of it!” When she finally did retire at the age of 88, she believed her vocation was “to be happy, smiling and loving.” And so, she was!
Sister Mary Charlene is preceded in death by her parents; sister Teresa Gosselin; and brothers William and John O’Keeffe. She is survived by many nieces, nephews, grand, great-grand, and great, great-grandnieces and nephews; dear friends; and the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet and consociates.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Friday, January 10, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. in Our Lady of the Presentation Chapel, 1884 Randolph Avenue, St. Paul, with burial following at Resurrection Cemetery in Mendota Heights. Memorials in her honor are preferred to the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, St. Paul Province Retirement Fund.
Dear Mary Charlene, rest in love and peace.
Rest in peace Sister Mary Charlene