Cleora Kossick, OSB
November 7, 1900 – August 10, 1997
Born the first child to Joseph and Elizabeth Kossick in St. Paul, Minnesota, and raised in Moorhead, Minnesota, two passions were planted in the heart of a young Bertha Kossick: love of the Eucharist and love of baseball. These interests, started at an early age, would go onto flourish and bear much fruit. Taking the name Sister Cleora at her first profession in 1918, she was a founding member of Annunciation Monastery and a life-long supporter of her team, the Minnesota Twins.
Sister Cleora also relished in her music ministry, as evident by the 52 years she spent playing organ at liturgies, directing both youth and adult choirs, and teaching piano lessons. She was so grateful to her mother, who insisted that Sister Cleora take an extra year of piano lessons before continuing her education at Saint Benedict’s Academy. Upon taking final vows, Sister Cleora served in a variety of locations in North Dakota including: Saint Joseph in Dickinson, Saint Vincent in Mott, and in Flasher, Mandan, and Gladstone. Beyond North Dakota Sister Cleora served at Saint Placid Priory, Olympia, Washington, Saint Joseph, Browerville, Minnesota, and Saint Andrew, Fairfax, Minnesota.
In her retirement years, she, who was one of few material processions, allowed herself the luxuries of a record player and a radio. She used the first to listen to opera records and the second to catch the action of the Minnesota Twins. “You have to keep your mind active,” she’d often say. There was nothing she liked better than to rehash the game the following day. As her eyesight began to fail and she couldn’t read the newspaper anymore, she especially appreciated when a sister would fill her in on what was happening with the Twins and other sports teams.
When Sister Cleora celebrated her 75th jubilee, Sister Hildegarde Urlacher thought an autographed baseball would be the perfect gift. Sister Margaret Nelson asked her brother, who lived in Minneapolis, and he managed to get an autographed baseball by Kirby Puckett. Sister Cleora was astonished, completely shocked, and kept asking over and over. “How did this happen? How did I get this ball?” While she appreciated the baseball, it was the gesture of love that she treasured the most.
As she was moving towards her 79th year as a Benedictine sister, her body became weaker, she gradually began to let go of her interests and will, and resigned herself to whatever God wanted of her. She was moved to Garrison Memorial Hospital in June 1997, where she was able to receive 24 hour care. On August 10, 1997, Sister Cleora entered into the presence of the Living God.
Tribute prepared by Annunciation Monastery, Bismarck, North Dakota.