Georganne (Dolores) Burr, OSB

Saint Benedict’s Monastery

St. Joseph, Minn.

January 30, 1940 – August 22, 2024            

     The Eucharist of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, August 27, 2024, at the Sacred Heart Chapel, Saint Benedict’s Monastery, St. Joseph, Minn., for Sister Georganne (Dolores) Burr, who died on August 22, 2024, at Saint Scholastica Convent, St. Cloud, Minn. Burial will be in the monastery cemetery. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Benson Funeral Home. Friends may call at Saint Scholastica Convent on Monday, August 26, 2024, for a Prayer Service at 3 p.m. followed by Visitation until 4:15 p.m., or for a Vigil Prayer Service at 7 p.m. at Saint Benedict’s Monastery. Visitation continues at 1 p.m. until the time of the funeral on Tuesday, August 27, 2024, at 3:30 p.m.

     Dolores was born on January 30, 1940, to George and Alvina (Peine) Burr in Hampton, Minn. She is the youngest of seven children, one brother and five sisters. She attended St. Boniface Grade School in Hastings, Minn., and Saint Benedict’s High School in St. Joseph. She entered Saint Benedict’s Monastery on September 1, 1957, was received into the novitiate as S. Georganne on June 17, 1958, made her first monastic profession July 11, 1959, and perpetual monastic profession on July 11, 1962. She celebrated her Golden Jubilee on July 19, 2009, and her 60th jubilee in 2019.

     S. Georganne graduated from the College of Saint Benedict, St. Joseph, in 1967 with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and from the University of Dayton, Dayton, Ohio, in 1972 with a master’s degree in guidance and counseling. She completed one unit of CPE from the University of Minnesota Hospitals, University of Minnesota, in 1974.  

     S. Georganne taught grades two and six at Saint Peter’s School in St. Cloud. She was principal and taught sixth grade in Pierz, Minn., for one year before continuing as supervising principal in Pierz for four more years. She taught fourth grade for one year at Saint Paul’s School in St. Cloud. 

     S. Georganne served as chaplain at the St. Cloud Hospital from 1973–1986. In 1986, she co-founded St. Therese Center for grief counseling and served as director until 2008. During this time, she served as director and counselor of multiple groups centering on grief and loss. Following this, she served at Saint Benedict’s Monastery as the life transition facilitator and as pastoral counselor. In 2017, she also assisted in the mission advancement office.

     S. Georganne is survived by members of her Benedictine community, her brother-in-law, William Schommer, as well as nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, her brother and sister-in-law, George (Sara), and her sisters and brothers-in-law, Janet (Albert) Waldbillig, Helen (Michael) Schoen, Eileen (Raymond) Schommer, LuVerne (John) Haberkorn, and Marilyn Schommer. 

     Please direct memorial gifts to the Sisters of the Order of Saint Benedict Outreach Ministries